Earth Abides
by Helltanz98
Summary: Life during his exile taught Zuko about the other nations, but it was Ba Sing Se that finally let him start some kind of semblance of a new life, and then Azula and destiny came along. Avatar AU, Initial Rewrite is done.
1. Prologue Destiny Awaits

Heaven Lasts long, and Earth Abides. What is the secret of their durability? Is it because they do not live for themselves That they endure so long.

-scene break-

Long ago there were four nations all under heaven. The Avatar kept balance between the nations, and there was peace. The Avatar vanished and the great war began. It was not until a hundred years later that the Avatar Aang reappeared right as the Fire Nation was nearing victory.

In his abscence the Great War had engulfed all Four Nations, and the Fire Nation had destroyed the Air Nomads. The century that had passed had seen the Fire Nation begin their colonization of the Earth Kingdom, and begin to press the armies of Earth backwards. Sozin died an old man his dream of a world united and prosperous unfufilled, and with an understanding of the deadliness of armies that combined elements. An understanding that only strengthened his dream.

His son Azulon succeeded him, and took this dream and made it his own. He expanded the colonies , and the Fire Nation's industry, and worked towards the dream of a Fire Nation uniting all under heaven. Azulon's wife bore him two sons, Iroh first, and then Ozai. Iroh became, as Azulon had, the soldier's prince and conquered vast swathes of territory. He became known as the Dragon of the West. Iroh's wife inturn gave birth to Lu Ten, who would turn die in the siege of Ba Sing Se. It was a bad year for the Royal family of the Fire Nation. Not long after Lu Ten's death Azulon passed away very suddenly. Ozai stranglely, against all established tradition something that Azulon had strongly held to in his reign, became Fire Lord. Ozai's wife, Ursa, vanished soon after.

Ozai himself had two children by his wife, Zuko and Azula. With his brother as Fire Lord, Iroh returned home, he was a widower and his only son was dead. The Great Dragon of the West settled as many uncles did to training his nephew; Zuko. Azula in the mean time, who was a prodigy in her own right was trained by the best tutors her father could procure. Both learned very different lessons.

At the age of 13 Zuko was exiled. The terms of his exile were to seek out and capture the Avatar who had been missing for nearly a century. His uncle choose to accompany him as his teacher. It would be three years at sea. Three years searching the world for the Avatar, three years of training and studying, before they found him.

The Avatar's name was Aang and of all the elements all that he knew of was air. Avatar Aang was the last air bender and had been born 12 years before the war began. Avatar Aang begins his journey to the Northern Water Triber to learn water bending, accompanied by the young Warlord Sokka, and his sister Katara.

The Avatar would eventually reach the Northern Water Tribes' capital city, but was in the process now pursued by Admiral Zhao. The admiral had suceeded captured the Avatar once, but Avatar Aang was freed by the Blue Spirit. Zhao however had another agenda in mind when confronting the Northern Water Tribe.

Nearly a hundred years after the war had begun the Admiral launched the Siege of the North, it would cost him his life, but he would for a moment succeed in killing a great spirit. The destruction which followed delayed the Fire Nation, and weakened their fleet. This weakening slowed the Fire Nation's plans, but could not stop them entirely.

In the wake of this failed assault Fire Lord Ozai declared his son and brother to be Traitors to the Nation. This was a mistake. Zuko and Iroh fled to the Earth Kingdom. Eventually the reached the same city that Iroh had held under siege. It was here the two exiles prospered more so than any immigrant who had come to shelter behind Ba Sing Se's walls before them. Ba Sing Se would in turn prosper from them. From the Lower ring the entered, and rose to the Middle ring, and then finally reigned from the Upper Ring.

Eventually Princess Azula too would enter the city and thus it was begginning of the city under the reign of the Fire Nation. This marked the beginning of a new Era.

From The Official Histories, published by the Ministry of Culture of Ba Sing Se

-scene break-

Before the Fall, before he'd known of his sister being in the city, when he thought she was still half a world away lounging in some palace he'd been a lot more relaxed. He'd been coming here, to this restraunt, since they'd gotten that first tea job.

It was a good place to eat, and even with his scar he was welcomed here. The old dowager who ran the diner welcomed those he brought here so long as they were well behaved. She, nor the help, never said anything when he once again started carrying swords, or when he'd started bringing Dai Li to the restraunt, or even other swordsmen, or the occassional friend from the lower ring.

It was something he greatly appreciated. Uncle didn't approve of his swords, but then Uncle did want him to keep a low profile. Uncle did have a good reason. They had a new life now, when he woke up in the morning he no longer felt the need to put his hair in the topknot he'd worn before the invasion of the North Pole... before Azula had betrayed them.

The Middle Ring was much cleaner than the lower ring, and while there was crime it took an entirely different form here. Even though they technically were living in the Upper Ring now Zuko spent more of his time here, or in the lower ring when he wasn't working. Wan didn't necessarily agree with this habit, but the Dai Li agent had other things on his mind right now. "Its not a good thing."  
The swordsman beside Zuko grunted, and Zuko himself crossed his arms over his dark green scholar robes, "My sister is dangerous, and she always lies." Azula always lies, he reminded himself. Like the man beside him Zuko did actually have his swords, but they were concealed by the dark green cloak he was wearing, also the fact that Wan, who was a memeber of the Dai Li, was with them also kept other people from gawking. Still Azula's prescence in the Upper Ring was disconcerting to say the least, that was how Iroh had put it when Zuko had told him this morning, when six Dai Li agents had come in off their evening patrol for tea. There was now a permanent guard in the tea shop, who would, and had explained they were there, at the Jasmine Dragon, to protect the sanctity of a treasure of Ba Sing Se's cultural heritage. In the mean time Zuko had headed down to the middle ring. He needed out of the stuffy confines of the Upper ring, and the middle ring was the best place to come to clear his head, when he didn't have time to brawl in the lower ring. Uncle hadn't approved of that when he'd found out, it was a little hard to hide bruised knuckles, and suddenly explaining wearing gloves was also a problem.

"We need to do something about this. The Avatar's friend is also still poking around, even though the Avatar has his bison back," He meant Sokka. Zuko already knew that. Especially considering he'd been precisely the one to release the bison from Lake Laogai in the first place.

It had been weeks ago, months after arriving Ba Sing Se. That single event though releasing th avatar's bison had actually been what had started things down this road. It was why all this was like it was.

In the Earth Kingdom being able to write and read, and do figures... and well all the classical education of a Fire Nation prince opened dozens of gainful opportunities for employment. The gradual subversion of the Dai Li against Long Feng had been underway. That the Avatar had confronted the Earth King after that had certainly helped by weakening Long Feng's position. When that had happened it had left the Dai Li unsure, visibly so.

The real problem would be if Sokka connected the Blue Spirit with Zuko. He didn't think Sokka had any evidence to support such a connection, but there was no real way of confirming that. "Is he still talking with the Council of Five?"

The rumors were, from the tittering gossip fiends that absolutely infested the Upper Ring, that Katara, and Sokka were frequently in the company of the council of five. It had become such an issue the Dai Li were starting to get nervous about it. Such concern was well founded, given that Long Feng had been arrested, and the Dai Li were without real leadership.  
"Yes, they plan to invade the Fire Nation during the day of the eclipse." Zuko didn't like that news, just because he was an exile didnt mean he wanted his homeland invaded. Not that he was that concerned for precisely the reason his friend brought up. His homeland had declared him a traitor and in truth there was nothing he could do for them.  
"Doesn't that only last a few minutes?" The Swordsman questioned, earning a nod from Zuko.

That was correct, the eclispe of a the sun would block a fire bender's powers just as the lunar eclispe would temporarily prevent water bender's from using their own powers. "Yes, which would probably invalidate most of their plans even if they could somehow get past the navy."

"There is no war in Ba Sing Se." Wan reminded them both with an added dirty look.

The swordsman snorted, "Right, so about the bitch." He grunted stroking his beard. "What about her, is there something we can do?" He questioned.

"Azula is" He ennunciated, " the more pressing danger," Zuko agreed looking out from over the balcony of the Middle Ring restraunt, "She's up to something, she always is." Assassinating the Earth King wouldn't make sense, she'd never be able to get away with it. Azula was many things, but suicidal certainly was not one of them, and it, the act, would serve no purpose. There was also the failed drill issue as well to consider. That was keeping the Dai Li stretched thin as well, which was really the only reason they hadn't already quashed the rumors. The drill was too damn big to quickly get rid of. Not that Zuko wanted it to be disposed of. Well it wasn't like he could do anything with it. He also knew better than to bring it up in public.

"Hey boss," The bearded swordsman began, "we've got guests." Guests was right, the Dai Li generally tried to remain inconspicious during the day time, and bounding across the rooftops in the middle of the day was definitely not keeping a low profile. What were they thinking even if they were welcome here in this establishment, actually welcome, not that false and thin veneer of respectful civilivity, this couldn't in any way be good. In Ba Sing Se excited Dai Li was universally a bad thing.

The new Dai Li agent came to a stop and bowed, several feet from the table proper. "The Avatar's water bender teacher recognized your uncle, and rushed off to try and warn the Earth King, despite our advice," and by advice he meant the Dai Li were responsible for protecting the Jasmine Dragon obstensibly as part of the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se.

That was by no means the worst news, not only had Azula was Azula walking around after meeting with Long Feng. This was coupled with this there was also the fact uncle had been invited to serve tea to the Earth King at his palace.

Zuko had been in the process of subverting the Dai Li and he hadn't even stepped foot on the palace's grounds, much less walked inside. One would think that Katara, and Sokka, who were both supposedly in frequent contact with the Council of Five would have seen Azula if she was just strolling about the palace, which meant something was probably up.

"We have many things to concern ourselves with," Wan remarked steering the conversation back towards other matters. "The Avatar has already weakened the political position of the Dai Li," That was what really had the Dai Li was true, despite being inept the Council of Five did control the Earth Kingdom's military in and around Ba Sing Se.

It was not that they were likely to commit to a civil war inside the city, just that they couldn't afford if they did choose to do just that. The fact was though they trusted he Avatar and his friends, and that was a problem especially given the whole drill fiasco. It helped that so many people were tied up watching the drill.

He'd been exiled by his own father, and was now branded a traitor by his own nation that he'd been here in Ba Sing Se for months had given him time to relax, and adapt. Zuko didn't want the Fire Nation to be invaded but at the same time he had freed the Avatar's bison so Aang would leave the city, and now Azula was here. His sister in Ba Sing Se was anything but good news. The only good thing was that at least the Avatar was still out of the city, he hoped it would stay that way at least until they could find away to deal with Azula.

Zuko latched his thumb into the belted sash of his tunic, "There is no war in Ba Sing Se, I'll join my uncle at the Earth King's palace. I'll give you my swords. Stash them inside whichever waiting room in the palace room we are placed in," That was the secret to winning, being prepared, and the Dai Li could get his swords in, they could also effectively freely enter and leave the palace.

"Lao will see to it," Wan responded, he looked back at his menu. "So about Lunch I was considering this sticky rice-millet pastry dish this time."  
It was a good choice, Chang, the chef made the best ones in the whole city, which given Ba Sing Se's size was quite the accomplishment. Zuko took the time and considered his menu as well.

-scene break-

Zuko ducked down, and shot outwards grabbing the other man's legs before straining to lift him off the ground. There was a crash when he slammed him into the wall. There was some shouting and cheering in the background, but Zuko ignored it, especially as a meaty paw slammed into the back of his ribs. One, two three, he pulled back after the third hit, and slammed the man into the wall again.

The earth bender groaned gasping for breath, and Zuko slammed him again. A shelf cracked and fell down on top of them. It was a good thing it was a smell on. Another blow came down on Zuko's back, and the fire bender grunted. He jerked to one side tossing the man into a stool and chairs. The earth bender wengt bowling over them.

Both men had red faces. Unfortunately both Zuko, and the Earth Kingdom drunk were endurance fighters this was going to go on for a while without a decisive change... and Zuko didn't have his swords with him. He'd already given them to Lao for safekeeping.

The Earth Kingdom man gave a big grin pushing himself up. It was a bull rush, a straight charge with hands out to again put it into a grappling match. Zuko jumped to the side just close enought to put him at an angle.

Out of the way of the fight Kohn clapped his hands laughing pouring himself a drink while everyone watched. "Come on Li, Sweep his legs."

"Shove him through the wall!" Someone else added, shouting at the pair, which was less helpful, but this was what bars were like in the lower ring. There would have been none of this in the Middle Ring. As it was that this had gone on this long well the guards must be busy, then again they were ussually to busy for something this far in the lower ring.

Zuko stumbled a bit, going backwards as his footing loosened. The other man pushed forward, there was just a bit of leverage he could work, and... Zuko shoved back, twisting. Striking in these kinds of situations didn't work, not tangled up like this. Kicks weren't even an option because of the constant need to shift your weight around and manuever around debris. So naturally Zuko did what his uncle always advised learn from the other elements... in this case redirect the attack into the path of least resistance...

There was a grunt and a tussle, and Zuko finally got around behind the man enough to wrap an arm over his should, and then he was up in the air as the earth bender flailed. This could have been drastically worse, obviously Zuko realized looking at where stone had ripped out of the ground, and the large sinkhole in the ground around them. It'd take three whole minutes for Ban Wei, the earth bender to stop raging at the guy who had ran off rather than fight... unfortunately the drunk Ban Wei had decided well that he was still in the mood to fight something.

No one picked a fight with Zuko if he had his swords... swords mean that Li was probably here on business, you didn't interfere with a man's transactions, but no swords meant fair game, unless you were a weapons user in which case the rules were reversed.

Ban Wei kept struggling, and Zuko kept tightening even when he was the one hitting the wall this time. Dots swam a bit in his vision, but he still had the positioning to bring arm down. He shifted his other arm, and brought the elbow strike down.

Naturally it was about that time that the Guard actually finally showed up. They were shouting, and shifting rocks with their bending. A number of other bar patrons stood up, and started shouting at them to go away.

A hand found his shoulder, "Come on boss, time to leave," The wall opened to the side of them, that was the upside to the lower ring, the wall the buildings were, it was easy to quietly slip out with an earth bender around.

-scene break-

Destiny had been written. Zuko and Iroh stared for a minute not sure what to do in exactly this situation. It seemed like everyone had that problem.

... well this was problematic, Azula had been subverting the Dai Li too it seemed. That had been the only explanation when the two groups had started walking in. Iroh's fire dragon broke their encirclement of enemy agents giving him time to dislodge his swords from under the table. "Lao now would be a good time."

The other Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling warping earthen gauntlets into weapons, as they plunged into the fray, and coupled with Iroh's mastery of fire bending Azula's apparent supporters had things to worry about. That was their mistake to focus on Fire and Earth. Well they focused on that just long enough for steel to sing from their sheaths.

What followed was quick, because Zuko was already so close to his enemies. One of the men dropped as the twin dao blades came down ripping open his back, another in a half turn found the right blade come slashing through his throat, as its partner felled a third.

It was the advantage of weapons, benders were still human after all. It was still a terrible thing to behold. They all worked together to exploit their advantages. The stench of charred human flesh filled the halls, blood splattering the walls, and the ringing of crunched bones from flying stones came all together in all their horror. In the close confines of this palace room men were dying. The door opened as Zuko slashed through another earthbender's throat, he ignored the spray of blood ignoring as specs of blood hit his face. "Azula," He snarled.

"Nephew we should consider our options." Iroh advised, holding his fighting stance. "if this continues the Palace guards will surely come." Zuko tightened his grip on his swords,

She took a minute and looked up and down at both of them. "It would seem you've already met the Dai Li." Azula muttered she sheemed surprised. For her... This wasn't how it was supposed to be Zuko and Iroh were supposed to be easy to catch, and then this... and then... Zuko shouted for _his _earthbenders.  
Yeah he'd met them, and fighting Azula didn't give him many options. "Wan! Lao!" The scarred prince snapped, "Prepare to collapse the floor," He ordered, collapsing the floor was the best solution. It didn't matter how good of a bender she was buried under rocks... rocks tended to kill people no matter what nation they were from. Both men slid their hands through the stone tiles of the floor.

Iroh frowned, "Nephew we must consider discretion. Azula would not have come alone." There was still just the barest hint of smoke from his mouth ... smoke from his namesake. When the dragon of the west spoke people listened. Azula recognized the opportunity, even as Zuko looked towards his friends considering delicately the options.

"Wait! Perhaps we can reach an agreement Zuko. I have come to an agreement with Long Feng to undertake a coup, and seize control of the city. With your assistance we could take the city for the glory of the Fire Nation. Our present situations are very similiar I think,"

It wasn't really a request, Azula and Long Feng had enough numbers to conduct a coup. That she could take the earth king, and take control of the city however didn't mean she could hold it, hence why she was willing to negotiate. He took a step back, "Uncle, she has a point, if we fight people end up dying on both sides," Not that Zuko particularly cared if it was her side doing the dying, but his people were a completely different story. It was a classical us versus them scenario. "Fine we'll hear your terms." He stated at last, that sentence settled things. Two siblings agreed to take Ba Sing Se.

Iroh watched on, concerned for his nephew... on the plus side there would be minimal bloodshed this way... pity though about not getting to serve tea in the Palace.

- scene break-

He must have disturbed Azula's planning more than he thought, this was evidenced not by her talking but rather by her lack of it. Azula always took time to gloat when she won. Still Zuko stayed back, with Iroh and his own supporters stood carefully out of the way in the shadows of the throne room as she was joined by Mai and Ty Lee. It was fortunate that Zuko's atire could allow him to pass as a scholar, especially with a Dai Li escort. Well he could pass as a scholar as long as people couldn't see the swords.

What followed was not something that Zuko could have predicted. The doors were blown from their hinges, and he'd seen this before. The Avatar was here, oh and he'd brought friends to.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Earth King demanded.

An older man rushed forward suddenly, before dropping to his knees, raising his clasped hands up to the Earth King, "Please your majesty hear me, there is a coup ongoing. The Dai Li has betrayed you!" The general proclaimed loudly, as Zuko finally regonized him, "Long Feng seeks to usurp your power, majesty."  
"And Katara is in danger, I saw it in my vision!" The Avatar proclaimed. It would seem he and his friends had come directly here to confront the Earth King, and had somehow managed to interupt Azula's coup.

Keui seem less than convinced, which all things considered was understandable given he was being confronted by a twelve year old, avatar or not, claiming to have had a vision of all things. "But surely that can't be I'm sure your friend Katara is with the Kyoshi warriors, as for the Dai Li. Long Feng is imprisoned." It was then that Azula made her move.

"I do not like this nephew," Iroh remarked, "Azula's plan is not something to take lightly. You have come a long way however I would caution you to consider other options besides agreeing with your sister."  
"and if we do not agree many people will die pointlessly." Zuko responded softly watching the scene play out. It was only fortunate that Katara for some reason wasn't here." The water bender could be a very legitimate threat, "She might very well be in danger, but without here here that meant the Avatar had no way of knowing that Zuko, and his Uncle were here.

Zuko wanted to say something but when Ty Lee started to flirt with the water bender's brother he had to resist the urge to face palm. That was when the down side came into play as it seemed the Avatar's earth bending teacher had the same idea. The entire throne room's floor crumbled and gave way beneath them. Groups of Dai Li, stunned in surprise, attempted, flailing about, to stabilize or slow their descent but they all went plunging downwards caught in a fruitless fight against gravity.

The prince stood up and looked up around, the fighting had already resumed and Azula's Dai Li were lashing out. The Earth King was behind his general, and the Avatar's water bender teacher had been found here in this enormous crystal cavern, and there was an underground source of water as if this wasn't bad enough.

"It seems," Iroh remarked taking the minute to go about stroking his beard thoughtfully as he weighted the battle with a critical eye, "That Azula and her forces suddenly finds themselves evenly matched." So it seemed, between an Earth Kingdom general, and the Avatar's earth bending teacher were able to hold off several disoriented Dai Li, for now. Katara, Sokka, and Aang however had more pressing issues in facing Ty Lee, Mai and Azula. Then it got worse, "I must say that was impressive." Iroh praised as the metal door of somekind was ripped from the palace above and sent two Dai Li agents flying into the wall. One of them was definitely dead, the other one probably was as well. It was when Toph turned Mai's throwing knives aside Zuko knew they were in trouble, and then things changed again. Ty Lee landed a blow on Sokka, and then another, and the water tribe warrior went down.

"Should we?"  
Azula could afford the losses, so let her take them. After all she had been before this his enemy, sister or no. "Not yet Wan, not yet." He told the Dai Li agent. It was best if they stayed out of this until the last possible minute. "We're going to stay out of this, none of us are to get involved until I give the signal."

"Zuko is right, your sister." He stated, "my niece has committed herself to this battle against the avatar," Just as Zuko had made the choice to befriend people of the Earth Kingdom. He didn't approve, but would support his nephew's descision as for all the subversion Zuko had never meant for it to be malicious Iroh thought.

Blue Fire singed the air, again, and again, as Azula lashed out at the Avatar and Katara. Across the cave strewn with dirt, broken rocks, and shattered crystals Toph did most of the work holding Dai Li at bay, at least until one of the Dai Li launched a chain towards the general catching him by the arm. The Agent yanked and pulled him away forcing Toph to turn her attention towards him.

"She is very capable Zuko, that girl is a fine teacher for the Avatar." Iroh praised again

"I don't think you can adopt her uncle." Zuko remarked.

Again Iroh stroked his beard, "Nothing in our land's laws forbids adopting those born of other nations Nephew, your idea has merit, indeed..." and uncle started going off on some historical tangent as all the while the fight continued, but again it had changed. The General was out of the fight but so were another two Dai Li, even if more still, no doubt loyal to Long Feng, or maybe even Azula, were trickling into the cavern. Those whom he personally had subverted stayed out of the way waiting on the edges carefully out of sight. The key was patience, something uncle had counseled him on thousands of times before.

Still Toph's skill, and more importantly here abundance of raw material and the ability to bend metal made her the equal of many times here number in Dai Li, but she still had to shield the Earth King from harm. Him and his bear. Keui was never meant to fight battles, and this wasn't the place for him, and his pet. The man was confused, but even in that confusion he understood he could not move for concern of his safety.

Katara and Aang faced off against Mai and Azula, and the truth was they were both holding each other at bay. The Avatar's ability to bend three elements was greatly evening up things. His mastery over the element of air certainly played a large chunk in that as Azula went flying back, and in a coordinated attack Katara was finally able to lock Mai in an icy prison. The tide looked to be changing, and not for the good of the Fire Nation.

"Signal the men." It was an order that in a minute Zuko would regret. At the edges of the cavern sixty odd Dai Li came around moving to confront the Avatar. Faintly Zuko realized he heard him say there were too many, and then Katara fell back to back Toph up, presumably, and then Aang submerged himself behind a layer of earth.

Azula pressed herself up, but it was too late, Zuko cursed as the glowing began. Earth and crystal shattered as the power and majesty of the Avatar state made its prescence known to them. He'd made a mistake in making their prescence known. The Dai Li agents, all of them regardless of alleigance, stood ready to fight. It was then that the unexpected happened lightning split the air and struck the avatar in the back, and only Katara's quick reactions caught him. The Dai Li prepared to move, but then the Bison arrived, and Toph tried to bury them.

Wan shouted an order Zuko didn't quite catch as the cavern started to cave in, and the Dai Li moved earth to save them all. It was a good effort.

In the wake of all this the Avatar's friends fled with the Earth King. That didn't matter though Zuko groaned as the impromptu rock dome over their heads held. Sixty earth benders were an amazing power.

"Nice of you to help Zuko." Azula muttered dispariginly.

Zuko held one of the chunks of luminscent crystals up, "I had thought you had everything under control," He responded snappishly,

Wan spoke up, "There is a tunnel that leads to the palace courtyard. It is still intact but we will need to hurry."

It was true, it didn't matter the avatar was fleeing. That didn't matter. Zuko had wanted the Avatar to leave Ba Sing Se for good for weeks now. Now however they had Azula's stupid coup to complete, and no Earth King, and one of the Council of Five, at least, still running free. This was not at all a good start to the thing, perhaps he should have acted faster.

"You did the right thing Zuko, your men are safe." Iroh praised as the Dai Li uncovered the tunnel that went upward towards the surface. Now all that was left was securing Ba Sing Se... was that all...

- scene break-

In the end they were still short one general, and the Earth King. This did not in anyway bode well for a secure Ba Sing Se, to paraphrase Uncle somewhat. Then there was the issue of the dead, and the injured as well. Zuko was still waiting for the reports... the final reports...

Iroh himself however had settled into the Council War Room, and was busy reviewing the appropriated files regarding the invasion. "These plans have very likely been rendered largerly null, by the actions of today. With such surely being the case the Avatar will surely make other plans to take advantage of the day of black sun."

"The Avatar is dead!" Azula piped up angrily.

Azula had a point getting shot with lightning tended to kill most people. At the same time Uncle did also have a point, and the avatar was in point of fact not most people. Right now though the Avatar wasn't the real problem, in fact now they were in even more danger than before the coup. The Avatar would just reincarnate into the water tribe.

They needed to keep the fact the coup had happened quiet until they could reinforce their position... and the first thing that Azula had done was sent off a messenger hawk to dispatch a priority message to the Fire Lord that they had seized control of Ba Sing Se, and they'd killed the Avatar. Of all the rash unthought out things she could have done that took the cake, or maybe he just cared because it was uncle, and his life on the line if they got found out.

"Relax Zuko," Azula was calmer now, she'd taken a breath, "the avatar's dead, and we're presenting father with the greatest city of the Earth Kingdom." Azula remarked

Zuko didn't even bother to slow his pacing, but Iroh spoke up, first making an age old quip about farm animals and hatching. "What Zuko is concerned for is our currently precarious situation niece. Surely that the fact the Avatar, as well as the Earth King, and one of his generals eluded apprehension is cause for concern given our at best tenous grasp on the city." Iroh's advice was sound, but was basically the same thing he'd been counseling them the entire day. Still Ba Sing Se was theirs, for all that their hold on the city was worth at the moment.

"I have already taken steps to remmeddy that problem," Azula proclaimed, and she had. If it had just been Long Feng she had had to worry about, as she had originally expected, she wouldn't have been concerned, but Zuko had been more than willing to allow the Dai Li under her command to do the dying while his kept a perimeter guard up, while the Earth King's guards proved that they hadn't been just for show. At the end of yesterday everyone of the Palace guards had been killed, or was missing, the utmost worrying news, after the battle. A battle which had killed numerous Dai Li in the process. Even some of those who were following Zuko around, but that was really only because he and uncle had swept in again at the last possible minute to kill the guards, and uncle had helped with that, the killing that was, which was eerie. Accademically she'd know Iroh had killed people but seeing her Fuddy Duddy Uncle actually do it... it was unnerving. It was just hard to reconcile with what she had known for so long.

So now the Dai Li had control of the Upper Ring, but not really much more of the city, and nobody in the city, as far as they could tell knew the Earth King was gone. Or for that matter that the rest of the Council of Five had been imprisoned. Or rather four of the five members of the Council. Then there was Zuko, who was actually listening to his Dai Li, Azula grimaced, Zuko was acting too patient he'd clearly been in the Earth Kingdom too long. She looked at him, his shoulders had gotten broader since last time she'd seen him too.

The truth was Zuko wasn't being patient at all. Zuko deep inside didn't know what to do, all he'd planned to do was lay low live out life in Ba Sing Se. His subversion of the Dai Li had started out entirely accidental, and now Azula was here dragging him into a plan to conquer the city. He hadn't had much of a choice, and Uncle hadn't liked it, but even uncle admitted there hadn't been much of a choice. It was true he could have fought Azula, but that would have just gotten more people killed, or they could have run. If they'd chosen that option Azula probably wouldn't have found them, not even with Dai Li help. Still they'd made the choice, now they just had to live with it, and uncle wasn't that mad with the choice.

Speaking of Dai Li one of them had justed entered the room, before this that wasn't ussually a good sign. Today however wasn't before. The man's name was Quan, and truthfully Zuko was expecting nothing more than a routine report.

Quan's loyalty was to Long Feng, and thus by proxy to Azula. For now Long Feng was backing Azula, and probably would continue once the Fire Nation arrived in force. Truthfully, and quite sensibly, Quon trusted none of the Fire Nation royals. The Dragon had held his city under siege for six hundred days, and the two younger royals had equally proven not to be understimated. "The Dai Li have completed their normalization of patrols, the guard suspects nothing, and the army is in the dark." He remarked, which all in all was good news.

"You see Zuko everything is fine, the Fire Nations victory over the city remains secure."  
Yeah she said everything was fine, when she was the one tallking, Zuko thought irritably. He was the one working with Azula of all people to hold the city... Why exactly had he thought that would be a good idea?

Still Ba Sing Se wasn't burning... yet. Still when the Army marched in that would be a different story.  
"Ah yes that is good to hear," Iroh remarked, "I think though I should return to the Jasmine Dragon, it is important I prepare for opening tomorrow, it would not do for such a high ranking establishment to be noticeably closed." Uncle announced.

Oh shit Uncle was leaving the palace. Zuko wasn't sure he liked that, mainly because well that left him more or less alone with Azula. At least the palace was large enough he could avoid her without actually trying to. That was the benefit to the palace, it was huge, and Zuko was fine with occupying the outer court, while Azula took the time to move into the inner court. By move in Zuko understood it to mean Azula was ransacking and redecorating the place to her liking, which was fine.

Ba Sing Se had fallen, Destiny had been written. What awaited was a future written by many, not the few.


	2. Chapter 1 A month later

- scene break-

It was a month after the Fall of Ba Sing Se, a month... a whole fucking month.

Zuko was taking his time, and it was making him antsy. His own allies had been rather open about the choice to quietly assassinate Azula. For the Dai Li it made since for centuries they had been responsibile to maintain the strict social stability of the city.

Azula had probably had similiar advice. Uncle had even warned him to be wary of such plots, talked about poison. For now the problem at the forefront was maintenance of the strict social hierarchy of the city. The vast merchant guilds, and the individual merchants themselves, were useful, as were the disenchanted amongst the lower ring. Iroh had taught him well for all the time it had taken for some lessons to sink in. Technically weapons were a gray area in Ba Sing Se, and in the Earth Kingdom as a whole. Farmers could not technically own them, so they made do with agriculture tools which were adapted for fighting. That was just the way laws were in the Earth Kingdom.

The disaffected members of the lower class made effective use of the close quarters, and rough conditions of their station. They could feed information to him, that even the Dai Li could not, and of course they could be violent. It would take time to professionalize them, but there already existed a set of behavior that they found acceptable.

"We're going to have to deal with the chance possible resistance, eventually the secret will get out" The Dai Li agent commented, "Some of the guards will accept the new regime, but others will have the experience to actually pose a danger."

"There is no resistance at present,"

"This isn't Omashu, though," and it wasn't Omashu, while a massive city, one of the largest metropolises in the world Ba Sing Se dwarfed it by magnitutdes.

"New Ozai" Azula interjected forcefully.

"The point stands that in the case of Omashu,"

"New Ozai" She repeated insistently

"King Bumi surrendered to an army outside his city," Zuko stated, "the Middle ring, and the upper ring aren't going to be an issue, but in the lower ring is where the most problematic elements are." It was also the place where it was hardest to keep track of weapons. The Dai Li, and by extension the city guard could only discourage so much 'improper' or dangerous behavior.

Many if not all of the Dai Li now recognized openly the infighting between the factions in Ba Sing Se, and more than that the dangers to the city. The Fire Nation was winning, as the Fire Nation encircled and crushed the last major stumbling blocks of resistance they could bring further power against Ba Sing Se. This was the Dai Li split, and it didn't even cover the ones who genuinely liked Azula, or Zuko, or Long Feng. There was the aspect of personal loyalty to consider, which factored into city politics now.

It was times like this Zuko missed simple brawling in the lower ring, weeks and weeks ago he wouldn't even have had to worry about things like this it had been someone else's problem. "Its going to take time for the Army to arrive marching across hostile empty territory is one thing, what they're doing is another entirely." The truth was after the six hundred day siege had been broken... after Lu Ten's death... after Azulon's death, and thus Ozai's ascension there had been no move by the Fire Nation to retake the ground given lifting the siege and pulling back as such in the intervening years.

Loosely one could divide the Earth Kingdom, as the Fire Nation did, into 4 very rough Geographical Theaters. These were the Southern Archipelago, the heavily forested North western Earth Kingdom, the mostly desert dominated south western Earth Kingdom, and of course Ba Sing Se and its surounding territories. It gave the Earth Kingdom plenty of territory to use for defenses, and under Ozai's regime the Fire Nation had been more focused on territory already conqured, and closer to the Home Islands. Obviously meaning the North Western territories conqured from the Earth Kingdom conqured during Sozin, and Azulon's reign. Ozai had notably redoubled efforts by the navy on striking southwards, against the Earth Kingdom and the Southern Water tribe... which left them in their present position.

"The Avatar, and his allies-" He began, how many times had those allies made the difference in his hunt...  
"The Avatar is dead." Azula responded,

If that was true they were in even more trouble, truth be told, and he was getting annoyed with the constant interuptions. "Let me finish Azula, if you suceeded and killing Aang it is in all probability that the next Avatar will be born into the Northern water tribe," Because Zuko didn't think they'd have the good fortune for the next avatar to be born into Sozin or Azulon's colonies. "In either case," and Uncle agreed with him, "their most likely choices for sanctuary of Earth Kingdom troops is in the Southern territories of the Earth Kingdom," The norther mountain ranges were another possibility, as was the western air temple given their proximity to the Northern water tribe, but those had been dismissed because of the difficulty in accessing them by large groups of people." Azula grudgingly conceeded he had a point. He wished that Iroh would actually come to these more frequently, but Uncle insisted that he had to maintain the Jasmine dragon.

In any event Iroh had been speaking with troops throughout the Army, as well as the Navy and soon they would have reinforcements for the city, which was good. Despite the fact that they had sent out word, or rather Azula had, as soon as the city had fallen it took time to organize such commitments of troops. Ozai, and Iroh were the only ones with the influence and prestige to be able to organize such, and Iroh's own influence with the army had been greatly weakened by Ozai's declaration that they were traitors.

By comparison Azula's own influence, despite being heir apparent, was small dependent soley on Ozai's blessing... Zuko could only claim personal ties to individual garrison commands, and parts of the colonial military. It was nothing to brag about, his position was weak and he knew it. His efforts to subvert the Dai Li had been purely survival based, as had his efforts in the lower ring.

"It has been a month and there has yet been no sighting of the Avatar's bison, either north or south of Ba Sing Se." Which meant they had no leads on the Earth King, or the remaining uncaptured member of the council of five. Even assuming the Avatar was dead... which was assuming alot, as Iroh reminded them frequently... the Southern portion of the Earth Kingdom was mostly free of the Fire Nation beyond a handful of small areas. It meant that the Fire Nation had a long hard fight ahead of it to secure the southern Earth Kingdom. Though they'd known about that all along after all they had a 'divine right to unify all people under the sun' or so the Fire Sages proclaimed in the name of their ancestors and Fire Lord Sozin's memory.

Even if Ba Sing Se was now under Fire Nation control the war would continue. Zuko, himself had not quite realized this until after the siege of the North had collapsed. No one was going to stop fighting, but at least up until this point the Earth Kingdom still had some hope.

Now that Ba Sing Se had fallen morale would take a massive hit, because for the enemies of the Fire Nation Ba Sing Se had always been that far off invincible stronghold. It had been the place that had withstood the dragon of the west, and the home of the Earth King, along with other propaganda feats. Now that it had fallen... word would spread. "We're still dealing with an influx of refugees as well," He commented.  
"Can't you deal with that Zuko?"

"I am dealing with it," He responded tersely. It had become abundantly clear in the first week of control of the city Azula had no taste for actual city adminstration, and quickly left things to Zuko, which was all things considered for the best. For all Azula's capacity for fire bending and strategizing... her solutions to civil problems... needed work. Iroh had, officially speaking, 'advised' him to handle such matters. In less official terms he'd more or less metaphorically shouted at him to handle such things, and Zuko hadn't needed to be told twice. It was thus over the last month that Zuko had, and to Long Feng's annoyance, found himself handling many of the Grand Secretariet's former tasks. Azula, rightfully so, didn't trust her erstwhile ally, and from all rumor the two were in some kind of jockey for position. The only real reason Long Feng wasn't imprissoned or dead was because Azula needed his support for the moment since none of them, Zuko, Azula, or Long Feng, could rule the city without the others. "In any event the refugees, as always are being acclimated as normal."  
Almost reluctantly, but by this point used to it, Long Feng, spoke up to agree that it was necessary to continue the illusion of normalcy within the city, and then insulted Zuko's policies of socialization in the same breath. Under Iroh's advice Zuko had taken care to expand the ranks of people to insure order, because Ba Sing Se was massive. The bulk of these new guards went into organizing, as opposed to policing, Lower Ring areas for refugees. The Middle Ring, and the Upper Ring were as always bastions of civilization, which was why those residents hadn't noticed so many more guards out about the lower ring helping oversee new buildings, or programs. The work programs were mainly to relieve the unemployment of the lower ring, and thus take their minds away from outside matters as they acclimated to life in the city.

"Yes, yes Zuko I'm sure your bleeding heart has everything under control," Azula commented, "As long as your rabble can keep things in order we won't have a problem," She was taking yet another shot at his tendency towards spending time in the lower ring, at least she wasn't complaining about the time he'd been spending in the Earth King's Palace library, she'd done that to.

By bleeding heart she meant of course the way he related with the Earth Kingdom refugees of the lower ring. Under the auspice of the Office of the Earth Palace, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage Zuko had been sending groups of agents to handle work to better the largest of the three rings. Azula's distaste for the lower classes, especially those of other nations was a boon in this particular case. A boon, because his sister was neatly ignoring his agenda within the lower ring, admittedly some of it really was his good intentions.

Other programs were less pure than good intentions. He'd come to a conclusion some time ago, defeatist though it may have been, that he really wasn't going to catch the Avatar. It'd actually been after the whole fiasco at the North Pole, and well despite the semi successes something, or someones, had always gotten in the way, and now Azula had killed the Avatar, or at least gravely injured him. Throughout the three years he'd searched for the avatar he'd depended on every scrap of knowledge he could get his hands... and Zhao... that bastard... had blown his ship to the bottom of the harbor. Still with access to Ba Sing Se's libraries it would be possible to consolidate such vital knowledge to prepare for the Avatar when came again.

Azula brought attention back to the manner at hand in her usual demeanor, "... Then there is of course the issue of the Ferry port," The ferry port she'd entered the city through, "As well as," She took the time to trace a finger across the map, "Full Moon Bay," Her fingers moved over the thick parchment, "and the Serpent's bay." There was also Chameleon Bay on opposite coast, but they certainly lacked the resources to secure it. The Fire Nation certainly hadn't bothered too since Ozai had come to the throne. No that would be a battle for years to come, just more lives to be lost. "Insuring control of the port will be critical to the security of the city." ... and Azula was very right, the Ferry Port was over crowded to a very unsafe degree and was the key gateway into Ba Sing Se."

-scene break-

Azula was celebrating their victory again... something about glorious traditions needing to be honored, which probably had something to do with the readily approaching day they expected reinforcements to arrive. There was also the mention of how he was apparently skulking about, and spending far to much time with the lower classes. Which from a certain perspective was true, it was that Zuko ignored such reprimands annoyed her to no end.

Zuko own annoyance came from other sources training large numbers of people was difficult within the confines of Ba Sing Se, educating large numbers less so but still troublesome. It was thus with regards to the prior he'd relied on massive underground, earthbender built constructs, to handle training troops, which still did not eliminate the shortage of weapons, but did allow people to train hand to hand.

Azula more than a week ago had already begun discussing bringing industry into the city, which obviously would elminate large swathes of unemployment amongst the Inner Ring, but Zuko doubted that was her intention. Truthfully it was merely a side effect of converting the Earth Kingdom to Fire Nation. She didn't care the massive iron works, with their foundries, and blast furnaces could equip thousands of troops. It was just a part of 'civilizing' people to the advanced nature of the Fire Nation. The turning of the Ferry Port into a Fire Nation Port would take months as they cleared existing structures, and brought in steel for construction of new buildings. It'd take time, but the Fire Nation had grown effecient at such tasks. The rumors that had reached him about Omashua were proof of that. That the Earth Kingdom was so rich with natural resources was another benefit to the Fire Nation's reconstruction.

Still maintaining the city also encompassed dealing with those who fought on the wall, including those who had been brain bent by the Dai Li. That had issues all on its own. Azula's plan had involved a mass poisoning of the guards, which even Zuko conceded would be the effective way for dealing with so many soldiers. The concensus taken by the Dai Li, all the factions, agreed this would be the most effective way as well. For now though they didn't seem to be spoiling dinner with talk of such. He really hoped Uncle's friend arrived soon, if Admiral Keng was the best way to stay safe.

Admiral Keng was from Azulon's era of high ranking officers. An old man, and more importantly Iroh's friend, and confidant as opposed to a political apointee. He and Uncle had served together, and Iroh had told him together they had once shared a dream where the world was safe and united, peaceful and prosperous under the Fire Nation, but that had been before Lu Ten had been killed here at Ba Sing Se. Ba Sing Se was unlike any other city in the world, they couldn't just sweep the nobles, and merchants aside unless they were really conquering the place as a whole. It was just something that would not work. Even when the army came Ba Sing Se they'd have to deal with the nobles, and the merchants.

Still she'd insisted on this dinner, what tradition they'd managed to somehow miss, was beyond him, but apparently it warranted an absurdly lavish feast. Zuko miserly thought of how he could have better used the, no doubt great, funds that had gone into this dinner. Azula spent, and spent it seemed, or perhaps he was just complaining.

Like everything the Grand Dining Hall of the Earth King's palace was designed to impress, and awe visitors to the palace with the grandeur of the wealth of the Earth Kingdom. Unfortunately Azula despised its 'foreign' trappings, and set immediately towards furnishing it with proper Fire Nation furniture. The red and black still managed to clash horribly with the Earth Kingdom's stone, and mahogony hardwood floors.

"Prince Zuko you made it." Came Ty Lee's free spirited screech as he entered the rather immense, understatement, dining hall that had once belonged to the grand ruler of the immense walled city, that now belonged to the Fire Nation; to them. It seemed this city that had enjoyed centuries of prosperity and thus could do nothing in halves. Zuko could not help but wonder how many tens of thousands of koku had gone into funding this immense room alone, well at least the jade was nice.

The group of fire nation nobles sat down quietly other than that out burst. Right now things were more than a little tense at least between Zuko and Azula. Both royals regarded each other warily though hidden behind a veneer of civility and the decorum expected of their station. The wariness was with good reason, within the Fire Nation, and the Earth Kingdom political maneuvering was common, but this was something on a more dangerous scale. They'd been enemies up until very recently.

Azula loathe as she was to admit it did not have full control of the Dai Li, and her subversive actions had only targeted them, not other elements of the city. Just as loathe as she was to admit that Zuko was more than necessary to maintain peace and stability in the city. Her brother had subverted everything he could touch, from the city guards, to the merchants to the Dai Li. Zuko had infiltrated every aspect of life that he could reach. It was patently annoying that Zu Zu had established such a beach head without so much as a sign it was being done... what was more annoying was how he called the his friends.

Zuko knew he was in a similar position fighting Azula openly would compromise both their strengths and that would have been a problem. If the two fought they would both be weakened and that would cause them both to suffer, and risk defeat at the hands of their common enemy. Iroh had warned of this, highlighting the dangers they faced. The dangers that he, Zuko, would face even if they were welcomed back to the Fire Nation.

Azula had been talking about tradition, and rewards, and gifts to honoured victors, and Zuko knew he shouldn't have come. This was all kinds of wrong. Azula was up to something, and Zuko couldn't figure it out, but all the while knew it would be bad... damn it he wished Uncle was here and not entertaining some rich client in the upper ring who liked his tea, and how the Jasmine Dragon had had the great honor of serving the Earth King's palace, business had been booming as of late. He was always busy, just like they were.

Azula was still talking something about how she'd been worried about possibly needing to send someone to get him for dinner. As if the notion of trying to force his prescence was suicide, his Dai Li surounded him daily, but then maybe she was joking it was hard to tell sometimes. He was too deep in thought to tell, and something was here he could hear it, and it was driving him crazy with its rustling, where was it coming from. His mind responded on its own, giving barely polite responses to Azula verbal prodding, and the political nicities of dinner. He sipped at the cherry plum wine from his saucer, it lacked the bite of the wines he'd grown accustomed too in other settings, but still enough to set a nice fire in his belly.

Dinner was a disgusting affair, Azula's voice was all false suger and sweet, and she wasted no effort to heep praise, and the promise of honors. Did she think he'd forgotten her treacherous attempt to capture him months ago? Perhaps that was it, but for now they both needed each other. She was talking about how they'd succeded where all others had failed, how they'd taken Ba Sing Se, and toasting... everything and anything. Was she trying to get him drunk? How stupid he outweighed her, unless he was very much and misjudging Azula had far more experience with stronger alcohol... what was she working at, he wondered.

Ty Lee was the first drunk as it turned out, it had been funny at first. Well it had been until it had gotten out of hand. It was improper but when did Ty Lee ever care for propriety. No one commented of course, but it did say something about Azula's state of mind. She was confident in her position, just the way she was so smug right now. Uncle had taught him years ago how to read people, and his own experience had sharpened that. It'd been arrogance that had caused him to misread the Avatar on their first meeting, his own arrogance. He couldn't blame anyone else for that. He sipped the wine, damn it all how he wanted this farce to be over. At least he would be able to go home soon... hopefully, there was a part of him that worried about that, but it would be only a few more days until the troops arrived.

He wanted to lash out as dinner lagged on. This was ridiculous. Azula was still drinking, her cheeks were rosy colored from the alcohol, and Zuko had finally had enough, and stood, "Zhou," He exclaimed to the Earth Kingdom man louder than he intended and called for a bottle of one of his favorite wines, and fresh drinking saucers. The Autumn Dew, the wine, was stronger, and he liked its taste better. Zhou joined him in downing a saucer, reluctantly, the man had avoided drinking all night. Zhou liked Zuko's taste in wines, and this was a particularly fine vintage true enough, but Zhou expected trouble.

Dinner's conclusion came when Azula had finally woozily stood up, she was slurring he noticed after a minute. Then again she probably had been for a while now, he really hadn't been paying attention. He'd kind of stopped after the tenth compliment, and proclamation of the accolades he would receive when they returned.

He'd remembered the cart when they'd come in, but it had quickly slipped from his mind once they'd slipped into dinner, and Azula's constant talking about the future. Zhou notably recoiled first, he was the one who'd drank the least, discounting the guards, even as Azula continued on her drunken monologue introducing her prisoner, his gift. Zhou looked offended and turned halfway to Zuko.

Zuko didn't need the introduction, he vaguelly remembered her, but not like this. He remembered defiance, and war paint and fans. This was... It was sickening that was precisely what it was. What the hell was she thinking, she was his sister. Was she not thinking about the social connotations of this, did she just not care.

Ty Lee was apparently too drunk to really say anything, which was probably for the best. Azula clearly thought that she was a genius, but it was Mai who of the three expressed the most emotions. Her normally, forcibly, blank face had shifted through, rapidly, being appalled, shocked, and embarressed.

Zuko felt ill. There were certain implications of these things. He wanted to choke on the expected polite words, even as he uttered them as he thanked her for such a thoughtful, ugh, gift and all the social nicities of accepting any present. What he really wanted to know, what he wanted to do was to demand where she'd found the girl, had Kyoshi Island been invaded? He didn't think so, surely he would have heard about such.

Azula had launched into, a no doubt embellished, he thought darkly, retelling of the events leading to the capture. His sister's drunken retelling took longer than Zuko liked, but it did explain how they'd snuck in, it explained the uniforms. The debacle finally end, and Zuko withdrew with his cadre as quickly as decorum permitted, all the while doing his best to drown out Azula's drunken teasing of Mai. He didn't want to hear this. He let a servant carry the bottle of Autumn Dew, even though he dearly wished to drown all of this in the burn of alcohol, and the wine's sweet taste, and flavor.

When they entered the hall a half dozen voiced interjected speaking at once. His friends, and subordinates all clamoring to be heard, and then silent at the embarresment from lack of courtesy by the Dai Li. Tenmujin would have none of such, "Insane fire witch," He snapped grabbing the wine from the servant and taking a long drink. He swallowed and wiped his mouth, grimacing like he wanted to say something else.  
He agreed, and valued the man in lower ring not simply for his skill in a fight, but also his bluntness on matters. He wanted to consult uncle, but even that rational, logical move was buried beneath the desire to vent, to burn something. He wanted to fight, and knew he couldn't go out and brawl. No not with the city like it was.

The other Dai Li, and the swordsman who joined Zuko at the door stepped away, but not too far from the prince. It had been inappropriate for too many to sit in on dinner. "I can go fetch one of the palace doctors," The Dai Li had inquired before they'd stepped into the room. The swordsman beside Zuko said nothing, and that alone told Zuko something was wrong Zhong was rarely silent. He like Tenmujin was nearly always so boisterous in his manner.

Zuko nodded finally, "Go do that," He welcomed them into his chamber's sitting room for once favoring the luxury, and opoluence of the Earth King's palace, and all the space it gave him. They all, despite their numbers, fit comfortably in the room. Tenmujin set the Autumn Dew on a table as the servant set out the drinking cups.  
It had been something of a small scandal in the palace that Zuko had brought the cups when he moved in. The serving staff had been appalled at bringing such plain things with him. It had been a gift he'd received before uncle had gotten the Jasmine Dragon. Zuko wasted no time and poured himself, despite the impropriety of doing it himself, a drink. He passed the bottle to an outstretched hand, now was not the time for propriety. No, he'd had enough of that for the last few hours for any more.

"Should we unbind the consort?" One of the Dai Li agents who'd been at dinner asked in a detached tone. His voice was soft neutrality as he allowed a glass to be poured for him. He needed the tradition, it was keeping him away from his own emotions. His own rash emotions, the indignation of the night, and allowed him to focus on his own duty, that which he rightfully owed his teacher, friend, and leader.

Zuko set the empty drinking cup beside his chair on the four hundred year old laquered wood table, and stood up a long dagger out from where it had been concealed. He had no patience to untie the silk bonds, "Hold still." Dimly he recognized she was in rough shape, his friend, of course he was right Azula was a witch. His sister had clearly been needlessly cruel, not that he was surpsied. Suki struggled, pointlessly, "Stop it, you're just making it worse," His grip was harder than he'd intended, and he regretted it, nearly letting her go as he flinked even as his slipped the blade through the silk, and cut her free. He wished it was that simple, even as he stood back. He'd let her untie the silk bindings of her ankle's herself, and the gag.

Suki took a minute to gingerly rub her wrists even as they all eyed the dark purple bruises, she jerked when Tenmujin snarled and drained his cup slamming it angrily down. "I told you you should have killed the bitch." He hissed. "Buried her in stone."

Zhou's eyes set on the swordsman critically, before turning to Zuko as he sipped his wine, "Ignore him my lord." Zhou continued on for a few minutes of what a mess, and his own disgust for all of this. Out of the public eye he made no effort to conceal his offense at all of this, and yet he was the first of them to dare to highlight the benefits, even before the Dai Li in the room.

Suki recoiled, and so did the others to a degree. The Dai Li, some of them nodded approvingly, and a few looked throughful. Zhou's noble heritage was showing true. Of the many, the man never looked out of place in the upper ring.

The doctor came with the Dai Li agent who had fetched him, along with Lao. Lao's face was dark, puce with a simmering offense, ah so he'd been told, and the senior Dai Li agent bowed low to him far lower than normal, "Forgive my absence my lord," he uttered sticking as the Dai Li so liked, and Zuko loathed, to stick to tradition when bothered by something. Lao made the introductions, despite Zuko knowing the doctor. The doctor bowed and scraped for a moment to fufill courtesy.

Zhong stood, his shoulder's rippled with powerful muscles a larger single dao blade hung at his side, and requested his leave. Zuko could tell the man was angry, and gave the polite permission that the swordsman could leave. Two of the Dai Li also asked, not need for him to relay it, to be excused in order to insure nothing happened.

It meant there were nine besides Suki and Zuko, counting the doctor and Lao. The night's conversation was brief, and loud. Suki's tried to focus, but it was her horror that dawned... the Fire nation had control of Ba Sing Se... and that these men were Earth Kingdom... like she was, except they were working for the Fire Nation Prince, just like the Earth benders who'd been around Azula. It was disheartening when she even considered such notions. They'd left Kyoshi only to find this on the outside, and what if the Fire nation attacked the Island when they weren't there.

-scene break-

Helltanz notes: well this is the rewritten chapter one I'm half tempted to write an AU of this fic with a similiar premise except instead of agreeing to work with Azula joins the Earth King as the new head of the Dai Li (and kills Azula by dropping a ton of rocks on her head).


	3. Chapter 2 Reinforcements

-scene break-

Zuko had gotten up at dawn, between elemental affinity, and the simple fact that there was a dearth of beuracratic work, amongst other tasks that needed to handled it was just practical. It was true that he could practice firebending in the Palace, certainly Azula had flounted her ability over the last month. In the palace at least, but then Azula rarely left, she could stand the city as a whole.

So after he had gotten up from his bed he'd went to work on the various problems within the city, a lot of it was minor oversight. The Earth Kingdom's existing beuracracy was well educated, and the magisters while some were undoubtably corrupt, they were good at their jobs.

The Earth Kingdom was truly massive. It was not an exageration to say that the City of Omashu had a larger population than the entirety of the Water Tribes, and Ba Sing Se dwarfed Omashu. He moved another paper to his finished pile. Minor fighting had come through in port, but so far that didn't look like it was anything serious.

Records, and personal experience said fights on the docks happened at least a few times a month. The only reason it was even worth noting was because some noble had complained about it, or more specifically the fact that some luxury good he'd been waiting for had gotten dropped. It was some kind of imported fruit the noble was fond of. Zuko thought it was a waste of his time, but while the dock fight wasn't the big issue the noble was. Nobles stirring up trouble was a problem, especially given their tenuous hold on the city.

He moved on to the next incident, which was significantly less likely to cause them trouble. It still fell under the cultural heritage responsibilities of the Dai Li. A collection of, relatively recently, wealthy merchants wishing to ingratiate themselves, no doubt, with the more established wealthy nobility by opening a new theater. Theaters fell under the matter of cultural heritage... it was no wonder Long Feng delegated his responsiblities ussually.

Still the theater was an issue. Some of the well established nobility would be annoyed by the noveau riche merchants, then again they weren't particularly keen on him either. Of course they didn't like scar, as opposed to his sudden rise. Personally though Zuko would rather be reviewing the latest war intel, no one knew that Ba Sing Se had fallen, yet. It meant that they were still getting intelligence filtering in from all over the world. Before the avatar had arrived, and even after Long Feng had been sequestering such information from the public, after all there was no war in the city of Ba Sing Se.

His door slammed open, "Come on boss," The other swordsman called loudly before he sipped his drink, "I'm as tired of this prissy noble junk food as you are lets go and hit Wen's place down in the lower ring, the horse hog barbecue is the best in the whole damn city." His friend proclaimed

That was how they'd ended up getting into the mess that followed.

-scene break-

... thats right fire bender's rose with the sun. It had taken her a moment to realize that fact, she'd slept in... that alone was surprising. She stared at the wall, unsure of what to do when the door opened.  
Zuko paid her no attention at first, and with good reason... his hand was bleeding. His fingers reached for the drawer and pulled it harshly open to gather the bandages. He was ignoring the desperate fussings of the old man from last night. Another voice, Tenmujin Zuko knew, said something about the doctor, but stayed out of the room. Zuko left the room, and came back with a fresh bandage on his lower arm.

"Are you just now waking up?" He asked, it made sense he supposed, he hadn't asked when was the last time she'd had a decent sleep. It was well into the afternoon though. She looked at the way Zuko eyed her, he was thinking needed a proper doctor.

A fire nation doctor, not one of these Earth Kingdom doctors to check on her. All Earth Kingdom doctors were old men, it was inappropriate. Zuko left long enough to have a conversation, most likely she though to dismiss the two men in the other room, and then he was back. "Come here."

She tensed. In a way she'd been expecting this. Nothing had happened last night, the doctor had poked and prodded the bruisers, and fetched some traditional remedies to help the bruisings.

Zuko had made some dispariging remarks after the man had left, mostly to himself, grumbling over how the old man was next to useless, and something she hadn't caught. Still he'd said nothing to here, other than to order her to bed, and she only vaguely remembered him coming into the bed room. Nothing had happened, which had been a relief, because she was honest she had smelled the alcohol, and seen them drinking.

There was an edge of annoyance to the Fire Prince's tone, but he didn't move. It was a wait but she complied, surprising him given the time it took. There was a woman waiting outside, a regal prim looking late middle aged woman just beginning to get crow feet around her eyes. Her face was set in a scowl. "Of course you'd be a problem case," She harped irritably to the prince, seeming to pretend to ignore the clearly fresh bandages on his arm, as she caught sight of Suki. "But you don't need to worry I will fix this up, run along, everything will be fine." Zuko left quickly, too quickly.

Madame Jian, as the woman introduced herself, fussed over Suki, criticizing various things, for several minutes.

"What is this,"  
"Hush girl." The older woman remarked, "Goodness I suppose its very wise he came to me straight away," She murmured loud enough for Suki to hear, as she ruffled through a trunk that had been brought in, and then quieter than that something about Zuko's uncle. As the matter would have it it had been Iroh's suggestion to Zuko, but Madame Jian didn't need to know that. "Rest assured I shall have you looking as expected of your station very surely." Jian commented in a self assured manner as she went to fussing over Suki's bruises, "Nasty girl," she muttered, examing the callussed hands "Such vile habits you have, but then Lee," Lee not Zuko, oh she knew he was the Fire Nation prince that was readily apparent, "would find that interesting I suppose, the Fire Nation favor violent women, did you know the Avatar Kyoshi was found particularly attractive by the Fire Nation during her time, a hundred feudal lords of the Fire nation are said to have offered substantially for her hand in marriage." She sniffed indignantly at the idea.

She hadn't, which was strange considering she was from Kyoshi island. "I,"  
"Here try this on, hurry up now." The woman instructed foisting a dark green one piece robe into her hands, it was silk Suki realized. Madame Jian had little patience for her dawdling, as the older woman, called it, and rushed her along. "Hurry up girl, dinner is only in three hours." the noblewoman groused irritably.

Finally, after six more dresses, and three robes, and barely a word in edge wise Suki finally managed an exclamation, "What is going on?" What she got in response was a, very annoying, are you stupid look.

"You must have clothes," The woman retorted after a moment, "Surely you don't expect to go around dressed as a beggar." She gave an indignant sniff at the notion, idly dropping Suki's old clothes, the ripped and torn Kyoshi uniform, disdainfully into a hamper. "It is of course my responsibility to insure you have proper attire, as befitting your position."

Suki really didn't want to know what her position was, because from how Azula had talked it was going to be... Suki didn't say anything settling in to let the older woman fuss over her.

Jian stopped irritably and turned roughly to face the door, "We are quite busy," She snapped at the door, there was the sound of muffled talking on the other end.

Apparently when Jian had said there was only three hours until dinner she'd meant she needed more time, "Do not fret, I'll have you dressed like a proper lady," the woman remarked patting a cheek softly, "we will have more time tomorrow to work out a proper wardrobe. Your husband at least has decent tastes in colors, those robes of his are my handiwork of course," She proclaimed with a grand gesture, "such a fine color of green he prefers, were it not for that terrible burn of his," another sniff of indignation, "he'd look the perfect scholar, and well styled as well. Still I should expect we will have to select some blacks," She seemed annoyed at the notion, "and reds as well." the notion of red didn't seem to bother her near as much.

Dinner was a somber affair, one lacking, Suki was ever grateful for, Azula, and her friends. It still took place in the outer palace of the Earth King in a too big room. It didn't help there were only a few people, or that she felt horribly out of place.

"What happened?" Someone had asked, he was one of the Dai Li, a younger one, and was gesturing at Zuko's arm. "I mean..."

Zuko held up his arm and smiling shrugged, "Just a brawl, it was all good fun, just bad luck that it broke into the street." he laughed. The brawl had been a bit more than a brawl, but how to explain that a soldier from the wall had flipped out while they were trying to eat lunch. That there had been more than a few Earth benders involved had just complicated things. They didn't discuss it in detail

-scene break-

Xiahou Zhong lashed out. He'd been doing this for a while. Zhong was indulging the stamina his nation was famed for. He enjoyed, and was happy, with his position and it was why this was ridiculous. Stone crumbled under the blow. Zuko was his friend, and Zuko was going to make the world better. Fuck the Avatar the boy was just that, but Zuko, Zuko had hunted the Avatar all across the world, and was a prince. He could change things for the better, what could the Avatar do against the Fire Nation's century of war.

He'd heard every warning from his friend that Azula was mad, insane, and he'd disregarded them thinking that it was just exageration. Zuko was right of course, and why had he doubted him, Zhong asked himself. The whole affair had caused an uproar in the palace. No wonder his friend had the problems he did. His sister was a disturbed individual clearly...

Zhong raised another pillar of stone, and smashed it with a kick. Zuko was correct his sister was insane. He heard the clapping and rounded furiously on the door way, "You." He snarled at the Fire Nation girl.

Mai stopped clapping. "You're Zuko's," He didn't recognize the word at first, it was something unique to the Fire Nation tongue, so it took him a moment to translate it. He wasn't so good with dialects, real men didn't need to be his father had always told him, but these days he wasn't so sure about those words of wisdom filial piety be damned.

"I am Zuko's friend," He responded tersly, in this case this word for friend also meant brother, in blood, though not necessarily family blood, and weren't they. It was pretty much the same meaning as the word Mai had used was. Zhong was a quiet rage, like a moutain just before a landslide. "He and I stand by the shoulder of one another, what do you want from Xiahou Zhong?" He demanded.

They misunderstand each other. Zhong was Earth. He was, and considered himself Zuko's friend, and would be until all the mountains were ground into dust by time itself, and even beyond that. He would not trust so easily one of Azula's friends.

Mai was fire, perhaps not a bender, but she reflected the traditions of her nation too. To her Zhong's obstinance was needless, she wasn't Zuko's enemy. The hostility didn't make sense, did Zuko think she was an enemy.

The discussion was slow, barbs mostly to begin with. You didn't talk to the Dai Li, not when they were working, and she didn't have a hope of finding them when they were off duty, without being viewed with open suspcion. "I want to speak with Zuko." She said finally.

Zhong appreciated the forwardness, he really did, but even so. "No," Mai would ask again every day for three days, and finally Zhong agreed to ask Zuko. "I promise nothing,"He had ground out, like stones rolling down a hill. True to his word he would ask Zuko, and he did while Zuko had been busy looking through some old scroll. Zhong considered it the best time.

It was thus early the next morning Zuko agreed. Mai panted as they, Zhong, and her, arrived in the library. Zuko was still pouring over the same dusty scroll he'd been looking at when Zhong had left him. "Zuko?" She knew that in another few days the Army would arrive, and then everything would change. "I wanted to talk to you."  
"Zhong said as much," Zuko's eyes looked tired, and he was really. "what is it Mai?" It was curt, and he sounded every inch impatient, the underlying I need to get this done, you're not helping, and I don't trust you ringing in his voice... all because she was Azula's friend, and companion. The truth wasa that bothered her, it really did, because a part of her missed the Zuko from years ago.

"You are coming back to the Fire Nation aren't you?"  
He wondered what kind of question that was... of course he was. They'd gotten a response, he and Azula that was, from their Father congratulating them both in the same letter on the sucess of seizing the city. It had been a shock, even more than Azula's gift. "I am, yes, when the walls open to let the soldiers through," the Soldiers, Keng's soldiers, "and into the city," Azula, and he were expected to return to the Fire Nation capital for the recognition they deserved." A dark corner of Zuko's mind wondered if he was going to his death. Iroh promised he wasn't, and Zuko grimly knew what would happen if Iroh was proved wrong... all the Fire Nation would burn in Civil War. Lu Ten was dead, and that left him as Iroh's heir, and Iroh was a second father to him, surely better than Ozai had ever been. Zuko hoped he wasn't walking to his death at least not at the hands of his own nation.

"Then we need to talk."  
Its such a bluntly honest question, just... so resigned as he asked the question that he had been expecting to have to pose. "Does Azula intend to kill me?"  
She looks astonished, "What!" She half shouts in exclamation, "No why?" and then Mai stopped, Azula she knew was a lot of things, but she doubted she'd go that far. "Why would?" She stopped again, "that isn't it."

He was tempted to snap at her, but he takes a moment, more because he's tired, "Then what is it Mai?" He'd been contemplating other ways to get the troops in, but they're going to have to bring the walls down, tunnels won't work.

She goes for the blunt truth, "I'm not your enemy."

Just because Azula always lies, doesn't mean Mai has to lie, a part of him crowed. "But you are Azula's friend, and she's tried to stab me in the back once this year," Zhong rustled uncomfortably beside her at this statement.

"I," It takes her a while to explain, but Zuko pushes the scroll away, its old, older than he is, it will still be there when he's finished listening. Mai doesn't think Azula is his enemy, he disagrees, he can't trust his sister. More to the point he wont. Still Zuko agrees when she asks that she give him a chance. He wonders after she leaves if its a mistake.

-scene break-

Elsewhere the Avatar gang was taking a brief rest from their flight from Ba Sing Se. Sokka himself was exhausted... and Aang... Aang was still unconcious. Toph was in the best shape amongst them, as were the other Earth Kingdom-ers.

The General had suggested they flee to the Southern portion of the Kingdom, and really what other choice did they have Ba Sing Se, their biggest chance had fallen, and fallen hard.

Kuei had taken it hard once it'd sunken in. Sokka felt kind of bad for him, Kuei didn't know anything about really fighting, and hell hadn't even known about the war. Now here he was half the time not sure what he was supposed to do, and and the other assuming that as Earth King he had to be the one to lead. Kuei needed to be back amongst his books. He, Sokka, wished Aang would wake up he really did. For now though they were working their way south. He didn't really know where they were going, but at least, by all indication it was away from the Fire Nation, that had to count for something right.

"Sokka," Its Kuei, the young, older than he was though, Earth King was bringing up another historical anecdoate again. Sokka forced himself to listen to the other guy. Kuei meant well but he wasn't cut out for this kind of stuff.

He had other things on his mind. Like how they'd tried to warn people, but no one wanted to hear it. No body at the Ferry had wanted to hear how Ba Sing Se had fallen. Without Aang awake, and up and about they couldn't convince anyone to not go to the city. The General though had linked them up with some Earth King troops, after the debacle with General Fong Sokka hadn't been so keen, but so far it hadn't bitten them in the ass.

So here they were on the edge of Chameleon bay waiting by the sea side to flee south across the water. Running away sucked. At leasth Fire Nation hadn't managed to capture Aang right, silver lining and all. He mused.

Toph gave him an annoyed look with those blank unseeing eyes, as she stepped over the bent stone. "The Fire Nation has ships coming," She told him, she told him Kuei perked up at the announcement.

Damn it like they need yet another problem they weren't really suited to deal with. The collection of Earth Kingdom ships, the current moored tall masted ships, in the bay wouldn't stand a chance before the faster metal hulled vessels if they were in any numbers. Then an idea struck him, he remembered the blasting jelly, and he gave a large stupid grin. Maybe he wasn't a bender, and Toph could bend metal, but he had an idea. "Toph I know you don't like water but we might need you to bend one of those ships," and he was going to see if they had some blasting jelly, and if they did well stopping two ships, to start with would atleast slow the Fire Nation down. He if they could pick off the ones on the side and sink them they could limit the direction of the metal ships could go. He knew they needed to leave, if it came to a fight people were going to die. Katara was exhausted, and Aang was still unconcious, he knew they needed to leave, quickly. "Come on Toph."

"Right behind you," She grunted, "get walking snoozles." the earth bender ordered prodding him with a finger in his side. Sokka winced, as they marched off to the heart of the camp. There were already injured Earth Kingdom Soldiers, but Katara was busy fussing over Aang. He didn't object, but Aang was either going to get better, or he wasn't.

There weren't that many injured, just enough for all of them to be clustered together. Sokka, and Toph approached the General. He was already rushing around giving orders. "Ah your majesty," The General took the time to bow, and kow tow for a few minutes, before Kuei, and then turned to them. He already knew of course about the Fire Nation ships that had been spotted by their scouts, they had a little time, he assured the king. Sokka wasn't sure if he was just trying to keep Kuei calm, or if they really did have a little time to spare.

Kuei didn't want to hear it, "You should grab the Avatar and flee Sokka," He instructed, all of him was focused on being the Earth King rather than an individual person. After a moment Kuei insisted they would follow, how they could all meet up in one of the Southern Walled Cities. Sokka recognized the name, but he'd never been, Aang had taken them up the other side of the continent when they'd journeyed to the North Pole. Kuei wanted them to get on Aapa and leave, and it didn't seem that bad of an idea. They'd be able to at least get away from the Fire Nation, and their ships.

"What about you?"  
"We will be fine, we will endure." It was the ever classical Earth Kingdom response. Sokka crushed the negativity in his mind, warning about how Kuei was lying, they wouldn't be fine, because people were going to die. He knew it, and a part of him hated knowing it. It took a few minutes, minutes they probably didn't have time to waste, but Kuei convinced them to leave. They started heading south. Sokka didn't like, but as he took the time to look at Aang, all bandaged, and still unconcious, knew this was just the way it had to be. Hopefully Kuei, and the fleet would be able to make it... hopefully.

"Cheer up Snoozles, we haven't lost." Toph grunted back in the saddle beside Katara.

Sokka nodded, and gripped Aapa's reins. The future was looking grim, but at least they were all alive. He ignored the dark brooding for now in the back of his mind.

-scene break-

It would be another few days until Keng's troops arrived. They were getting near constant updates now, well Uncle was. It seemed he and the Admiral were in near constant contact, Azula hadn't liked that, she really hadn't. Not that there was anything thing she could do about it.

Azula had brought it up frequently, complaining about how it was unseemingly. She also frequently complained about Jeong Jeong, and suspicious loyalties. Zuko did his best to ignore that, but those little barbs set him on edge. He hated it, the implication that his uncle was a traitor. It was certainly not something he wanted to hear from his sister.

Today though he was done for the beauracracy for the time being, and unless something came up that absolutely required his attention he was done for the day. So for now he was relaxing at one of the smaller square halls in the Outer Palace near his room. It was very conviently placed, even in the event of an emergency he could handle any beuracratic problems from the hall, as well as if necessary entertain any late night guests with an awe inspiring room within the palace of the Earth King. That fact alone should keep even the most uppity Earth Kingdom noble in line, if it didn't well it'd be problematic, but as Azula reminded him there were other solutions to that particular issue. For now though there were no such problems facing him.

Right now all he had to deal with was the drink in front of him, and the food. There wasn't even much small talk at the impromptu dinner table, at least not right now. Zhang and Lao had gotten into a disagreement, which had silenced most discussion at least for a few minutes. Neither man was really angry, but Zhang had a habit of getting boisterous when he was arguing something.

Finally someone spoke up, "So what about Azula's lady, the governer's daughter?" He meant Mai, of course, Ty Lee tried to be friendly but well everyone was reminded of just what she could do. Of course no one had forgotten what Mai could do either, but Mai was significantly more political, "We could hold the talks still, Zhong had things well in hand I think."

"Its a good political move," Wan remarked, "befriending both princes," He meant Zuko, and Azula together, "her family already administers Omashu, no doubt with good ties it would be possible to organize in roads in Ba Sing Se."

Suki fidgetted, when Tenmujin brought the Avatar, but didn't say anything, Zuko had brought her along just so she wouldn't be cooped up. He probably thought he'd been doing her a favor, but really even with just a half dozen people in the large hall, it set her on edge. "What if he already has reincarnated into the water tribe?" The man asked looking to Zuko.

"Then we've got six years at the absolute minimum," More than that most likely, Zuko couldn't see even a water tribe avatar mastering water bending before then, "thats enough time I think to stabilize this region." It was going to be the south that gave them trouble.

-scene break-

All in all things had gone better than he'd expected. They'd managed to loose only a handful, at least metaphorically speaking, of people after the Dai Li brought down the walls. There had been some fighting. As had been expected the most difficult holdouts had been the men sent to fight on the walls, brain bent so they'd fight on the wall till they died. The Guard, and the Army had resisted as well, but a lot of that resistance had been stymied when by shock when the Dai Li brought down the wall. The sudden Fire Nation offensive had caught them off guard, but the segments of wall coming down letting troops into the agrarian zone dumbfounded Earth Kingdom troops. The invincible walls just dropped before the enemy soldiers leaving the Earth Kingdom troops in disarray.

The battle lasted not even a day, focused on dozens of small pockets of thick resistance, but otherwise open land to march through.

Once they'd reached the middle ring, it had been smooth sailing, as Ba Sing Se hadn't been ready for the invasion, hadn't seen it coming. The city had too long been at peace in a world at war, which was honestly all the better for Admiral Keng had been able to bring little for heavy support to the walls as he had advanced with all possible haste to reach Ba Sing Se. People had died, enough that Zuko would be busy with funeral preparations for the next week, and attending them, both for people he'd known, and for overseeing the laying to rest soldiers of the Fire Nation who had died stomping out pockets of resistance. It was the price of victory, even a victory by tactics rather than the senseless expenditure of life still had casualties.

Admiral Keng, and Uncle had greeted each other and walked through the palace of the Earth King, apparently celebrating some old promise before they'd even draped the banners of the Fire Nation from the walls of the Palace.

Now though there were a great number of readily visible Fire Nation banners throughout the city, the Dai Li had hurriedly gone about rushing people along, to continue about their daily lot without dawdling about looking at such silly things as flags. There was no war in Ba Sing Se, after all. They assured those who asked that nothing had changed today only that there were more guards, and that these guards just wore different armor. It didn't matter, the Dai LI assured everyone, there was no war in Ba Sing Se.

With the troops in the city another message had been dispatched to the Fire Lord, proclaiming boldly, in Azula's hand writing, that the Impenetrable City had at last flew a Fire Nation banner. That letter also proclaimed her bold claims that all that stood against their destiny at last made manifest were the remains of the Earth Kingdom, and of coruse the Northern Water tribe. The Southern Earth Kingdom was the far more vast than than the Northern Water Tribe, but the water benders could defend themselves far better along their smaller territory, especially with the benefit of the treacherous northern sea. Then there was the whole recent, relatively speaking, murderous rampage of the ocean spirit. It was something neither he nor his uncle wanted to see repeated. There was also the prescence of the moon spirit, to which they had no idea about its powers, but given that the Moon had supposedly, legend and all, attributed the Moon spirit to have created water bending, well its power could be just as frightening.

In any event they couldn't do anything about the Northern Water Tribe, well not practically in any case. Sozin, and Azulon's legacy were obviously potential choices, but the fact was for a hundred years the Northern Water Tribe, unlike its southern counterpart had remained safe from Fire Nation Assault, that was unlikely to change. Still Ba Sing Se was now openly under the control of the Fire Nation. Azula was celebrating... again... something Zuko was doing his utmost best to ignore.

For Uncle though... absolutely nothing had changed at all. The Jasmine Dragon was open, and still serving... and Uncle still wasn't letting Zuko drink. So in any event Zuko was stuck in the Upper Ring for the night watching the great General Iroh, the Dragon of the West, teaching his workers how to properly prepare different kinds of tea. Uncle was pretty determined that he was going to come back, and stay in Ba Sing Se. For the first time in his life Zuko wasn't actually looking forward to going home.

Everything had changed, and there was no denying it.

"What are you going to do?"

Zuko sighed, "There is always the chance the Avatar isn't dead." It wasn't like he couldn't go back to chasing avatar the 'hundred year old' air bending master. Iroh was certainly adamantly opposed to him, Zuko, even considering joining the Army. He only slightly less opposed to Zuko joining the Fire Nation's navy, "I guess its dependent on what happens when I get back to the Home Islands. Maybe I'll go to the colonies after that."

"Is that what you want though?"

No, the answer to that was no. He wasn't going to be able to stay in Ba Sing Se though, and the threat of the Avatar surviving was viable enough to be a threat, and even if Aang... was dead, well it just meant a water bender was next. That was... well Sozin's comet wasn't really ideal for dealing with the Northern Water Tribe. "Not much of a choice,"

-scene break-


	4. Chapter 3 What lies ahead?

Helltanz's notes: Right at this point people who read the old version will recognize that we've started large divergence from the original, and with good reason. Zuko's plotting has been nerfed, Iroh, has reasonably so, been given appropriate political connections, and Azula has reasonable visible flaws in line with her demonstrated personality.

-scene break-

There had been some repercussions to the army arriving. Iroh had assured him that such was to be expected of course. It wasn't like they'd expected everything to be smooth to begin with, but they had to face facts the problems were delaying, to Azula's consternation, their leaving for the Fire Nation. In truth though Zuko was relieved by the delay in the schedule, he knew of course it would only be a temporary delay.

As it was the Dai Li could only handle so much, the town guard were rather ornery as well, and demoralized over all, and the Fire Nation troops... well they were still filtering in. There was still the very real threat of getting kicked out of the city if a rebellion could be successfully be mounted, though Zuko doubted there was that kind of organization present amongst the rebels. So far besides the occasional mob violence the only real problem had been the crashing of one of the monorails... the thing was that attack had only killed civilians. It had wrecked a lot of supplies, but really it had been the passengers who had been hurt.

It had been enough to stall up traffic, as the earth rail line was important for intra city though the all stone construction meant that, unlike the Fire Nation's own attempts at replicating the rails with science, reconstruction was realtively quick. It was however a result that a tighter guard was placed along the rails.

"This is absurd!" Azula hissed furiously, "I want to see my city. They wouldn't dare to attack me in public, filthy rebels." Azula hadn't even cared to see the city since she'd arrived up until this point, and certainly wouldn't have been come down to the edge of the middle ring like this.

Zuko had wondered what had happened to Omashu, he sighed, "Its necessary Azula," In point of fact they would attack her if given the chance, they rebels would fail but that hadn't been the exclamation his sister had made. The rebels weren't likely to attack though, not with the sizeable prescence of both Dai Li, and armor clad Fire Nation soldiers.

Uncle didn't make an appearance with them in public. Which was probably for tahe best, as no doubt Azula in her fine red and black armor with its gold trim, was tempting enough. Zuko himself was still dressed in the green scholar robes, with of course the paired dao swords ever present against his back. It made him less of a target, even now that people recognized the scar which marked him as Zuko.

Finally Azula demanded they return to the Earth King's palace, which in all frankness Zuko was more than pleased to do. Azula quickly returned to the inner palace. Zuko left her at the gate of Supreme Harmony and turned to head back into the outer palace amongst his cadre of allies. The months in the Earth Kingdom fleeing his own nation, and concealing that same heritage had suceeded where years previous had failed. Zuko finally learned patience... to an extent.

He looked through the massive architectural plans for the city. It was up to date... or at least the head beauracrat responsible for the archive assured him, "The only possible way to board a Fire Nation ship would be to have one sail into the port with a small steamer aboard," It wasn't a particularly odd task.

They'd already determined such, given the differences between the port's docks, and the Fire Nation's docks. It would be months before the docks would be suitable for Fire Nation cruisers, or capital ships would be appropriate, or safe for dockings. Zuko had spent 3 years at sea, he understood these realities. Azula's complaints on the issue were stuborn pride, it did not change the fact his sister remained a skilled and legitimate threat.

To even imagine otherwise was sure to invite disaster. So for now Zuko heeded Iroh's tired advice to his nephew that he should settle into the task of administrator at least for time being. A little more than a year ago, when he'd still been totally embroiled, and dedicated to what seemed like a hopeless task he'd have dreaded such menial paper work. It was funny how things changed, just like it was funny how he never imagined there would be a day when didn't look forward to actually returning home.

Now though... It, administrating Ba Sing Se, had kept him busy, and helped keep him sane, in the month and half since Azula had laid Aang low with a bolt of lightning in the caves beneatch the upper ring of Ba Sing Se. Azula found his talent for administration to be hilarious, and found his efforts to fairly rule over the 'earth kingdom barbarians' just as funny. This wasn't was Sozin wanted when he started this war, that was what Zuko wanted to believe.

Lao's narrow face was set in a terrible grimace, and quickly set into Zuko in an uncharacteristically loud tone with complaints of Azula, and the various complaints made by the merchants, and nobility. For the immediate moment complaints regarding Azula's open proclamations regarding the supremacy of the Fire Nation were less important, even if they were dangerous to the Social Harmony of the City. That put the focus of the moment on the merchants and nobility. Smoothing the ruffled feathers was in any case easier than dealing with Azula's proclivities, which was not to say it was easy.

The merchant San-Kui was a large corpulent man, but of a shrewd mind to compensate for his lack of physical beauty. His interests were merely, in his opinion, the safe assurances that certain benefits of the merchants remained intact under the new crown. He wanted nothing more than the continuation of old benefits, to press the issue risked drawing their conqueror's ire, and that would be needless. For so long the earth kingdom hadn't had to deal with internal conquest, but external, but never Ba Sing Se. Now the greatest city in the world faced the threats every conquered city of the Earth Kingdom had faced, which admittedly was very like the conquered cities of the Earth Kingdom faced during the periodic civil wars of ages past. He hated it, the war, for one reason, the Fire Nation had done the one thing it normally took civil wars to do.

It was a monopoly... Zuko knew that merchants in the Earth Kingdom were used to such unfair practices... not that the Fire Nation system was much better. It didn't mean he had to like it, and so the two went back and forth. Zuko, of all people, didn't pretend to bother to understand any of the complexities of San-kui's proffession as a cloth merchant. So they went back and forth some more, eventually though it would be inevitable that Fire Nation cloth merchants would probably have to be allowed to sell their products inside Ba Sing Se... time would tell.

"You should have pressed him harder," Lao commented after the large merchant had left, "You could have gotten to get him to concede more, unless you want something from him later on?" Zuko didn't, at least he didn't think he did.

-scene break-

As it turned out when they'd seen the Earth Kingdom ships on the horizon that Kuei and his soldiers had made it safely everyone had breathed a sigh of relief. Then they'd agreed to move south further into the Earth Kingdom. A few days after that Kuei had sent a messenger bird along to tell them that the plan was still on to meet up in the nearby, still independent Earth Kingdom city.

The Fire Nation, despite having a century to do it, just did not have the manpower to indiscriminately attack everywhere. So for the last century they'd been working themselves eastwards from their first colonies established under Sozin. While it was very true that that there had been forays southwards the Fire nation focused mainly along the western half of the Earth Kingdom leaving a large portion free of their troops. So if Azula didn't come after them, they should be safe for now.

"How is he?" Sokka asked... in truth the waiting period had made it easier to ask that all important question. Aang at the very least wasn't getting any worse, so that was good. On the down side Aang was still out cold, and if they got into a fight with the Fire Nation they'd be in trouble.

Katara looked up from the still unconious air bender, "I think he's starting to get better."  
Sokka really hoped that Katara wasn't just hoping for the best, the sooner Aang was up and about the sooner they'd be able to prepare for their part in the invasion. He wasn't really sure they'd be ready, "Uhm right, well I guess tell me if Aang wakes up," He left the earth bent shelter Toph had made. In the coming fight against the Fire Nation, surely to be their most heavily defended territories, for next to nothing was known about the Fire Nation Home Islands themselves to outsiders for nearly a century. They also needed to find somewhere where they could be safe, luck for them that there was no way the Fire Nation would come marching through the Great Si Wong Desert that occuped much of the center of the Southern portion of the Earth Kingdom.

Sokka picked up Aang's maps, and unfolded them. They could choose to remain in the Earth Kingdom, particularly in the fertile eastern coast, but Sokka spied another option. "Toph what do you think of going to the Eastern Air Temple?" It was where Aang had been training with Guru Pathik, and well it was situated over three mountains, the only issue was food supplies for any armor garrisonned into the temple.

The truth was Kuei's letter had also brought word that Ba Sing Se now flew the Fire Nation red. That Fire Nation troops had walked past opened walls, and the Army of Ba Sing Se had only fought a token defense caught almost entirely by surprise, and no word from the officers of the Army who hadn't escaped ahead of time.

There would be no troops from Ba Sing Se who weren't already with the Earth King. Word however had reached them that troops sent from Omashu before King Bumi's surrender had arrived south months ago, and that those troops were willing to join them in invading the Fire Nation. It was a much needed supply of troops to their cause. It didn't change the fact they would be dependent on winning the city states of the Southern Earth Kingdom over to join the offensive, but it certainly helped.

The day of the black sun was their one chance to take out the Fire Lord, and his empire before the day of the comet. If they failed then it was postulated by the Earth Kingdom the last few major cities in the Southern Earth Kingdom would be targetted taking out the last major military centers with far less casualties for the Fire Nation, a move that would effectively insure their victory in the long term now that Ba Sing Se had fallen, even with the casualties at the North Pole.

"Snoozles I'm blind, I can't read a map." Toph hissed, though she was less offended and more mildly annoyed at the oversight.

... Sokka smacked his forehead that was so easy to forget at times. "Right, well with the Fire Nation controlling Ba Sing Se I thought that we could hole up in the the air temple and burrow into the mountains."  
"So you want me to dig a big hole into the side of a mountain?"  
"Well uh yeah." Sokka agreed.

Toph pounded a hand on a nearby rock, "Well when do we leave then?"

That was the question wasn't it, Katara kept going on about how they needed to slow down and insure that Aang got the most amount of rest possible. Sokka completely understood that Aang had been through a lot, but really Toph was their only bender training regularly right now, mind you Katara getting practice healing was probably for the best but really they had to prepare for the day of Black Sun. "I'll need to talk to Katara, but for now lets keep this between the two of us." He remarked,"

"And what about the Earth King's plan to meet up in Nanman?"  
"Uhm," Sokka shifted his weight, as he hemmed and hawed for a moment, "Yes well we're still going to go, we need to meet up with the Earth King but I think it might be for the best if we have somewhere defensible to be as opposed to being constantly out in the open." It wasn't like flying bison were common, the Fire Nation probably was still following up on sightings of Appa just in case. It wasn't like they'd let up on chasing them anytime before. Sokka looked around the wide open green terrain of the eastern coast of the southern earth kingdom a few days on Appa to the East were the great mountains that marked the edge of the desert that dominated the center of the continent. If they went east though there would be the dead volcanic mountains, geologically stable, that comprised what had once been the territory of the air benders, and thus the Eastern Air temple.

-scene break-

The last few days had seen more messages from home, and the slow drawing of lines. Zuko's first thoughts on the general was a flashback to Zhao, his now dead rival. His dead rival who had gone and gotten himself drowned by the spirit of the ocean... and the avatar.

The man radiated that same cocksure arrogance that had tainted Zhao, and the man had Ozai's backing to his command. Shere Khan was a mirror to Zhao, the same arrogance but expressed in the far slower burning demeanor. Once again Zuko considered the merits of assassination, and declined the option for the moment, and then reconsidered them. If he hadn't refrained from killing Zhao how many soldiers of the Fire Nation would still be alive instead of drowned at the North Pole.

In that same period of time Iroh had been focused on calling in old favors to friends, extending feelers to those same people. It was entirely probable that vast numbers of Azulon's army remained loyal to Iroh over Ozai. It was someething all the more likely by the fact Ozai had quickly surrounded himself with new political appointees, and pressed for the retiring of many older generals, and others to be stationed permanently in the colonies.

Zuko focused on the "elemental legacies of Sozin, and Azulon," which in truth were his only real hard power resources outside the great city of Ba Sing Se. This precious resource was limitted, but the manpower pool of Fire Nation loyal water, and to a lesser extent earth benders had the potential to be a massive advantage in a conflict. The island provinces were from where he'd learned important lessons applied to combating the avatar, and later the avatar's allies, as well as fighting against Earth Kingdom enemies.

It was funny the rest of the world failed to see the horrible potential for the Fire Nation to dissolve into civil war if only a few blunders were made. At the same time that civil war was also very possible if the attack on the day of black sun succeeded. Oh they knew all too well about that, and it opened horrible possibilities. Azula was openly Ozai's favorite. Ozai's death opened the question of succession for the first time in centuries, dubious as Ozai's ascension had been it had never threatened civil war beyond a few fools who quickly stepped aside at Iroh's urging. If Ozai died there were problems. Tradition dictacted Zuko assume the throne, but truthfully Zuko recognized his lack of support amongst the imperial court and Ozai's army. Ozai's psycophants would recognize Azula, as Ozai's rightful, and correctly no doubt as his intended, heir. It was a position much stronger than Zuko's position.

Ozai however did have his detractors. The military did not by any measure entirely support Ozai, and only Iroh's lack of pressing the issue had allowed Ozai's ascension unimpeded. In the intervening years Iroh's position had weakened but it remained enough to contest any support Azula could muster. Zuko had been exiled as a young boy, and Azula had been groomed as heir.

It was an even more violent future ahead if Ozai died without a clear succession. Even if the Avatar failed the future was grim. It was also impossible for Zuko to stay in the place of his greatest power, which was ironically Ba Sing Se.

The old woman gave them all an overly irritable look, "You're as trouble causing as ever you were," She remarked tersely to Zuko, "and I have heard you've gotten married in interim as well." The crone continued on, "that was something I had not counted on. Of course I had to find out second hand the Avatar was spotted near the southern water tribe. That you found him there."  
And there was the crux of the matter. He hadn't brought it up, and for good reason obviously. Well over a hundred years ago Sozin had carved out the first colonies. This had been during the period of Avatar Roku. Today these were amongst the most prosperous of all lands, and Roku had told him not to expand any further. So Sozin had waited and bided his time. When Roku had died Sozin begun the arms build up in the colonies, extorting further land concessions from the Earth Kingdom around the colonies. This had been during the period before the comet coming.

It was those events that had set in motion the inevitable war. Sozin had continued to expand into the Earth Kingdom forcing concessions during a period without a fully realized avatar. Then the air benders became a problem. The Earth Kingdom, and the Water Tribe attempted direct confrontation, but the Air Benders intended to wait. Intended to wait until the war was fully committed and turn the Avatar against the Fire Nation then. When the comet finally came Sozin struck.

A hundred years ago the Air Nomad's civilization was destroyed, and so in full began the war. This had been the beginning, and no one had done anything. The Fire Nation had gone to war against the other three nations, and now only the Earth Kingdom, and water tribes remained. In truth though it had always been Earth versus Fire. The Water Tribes had never had the population or the military to oppose the Fire Nation, not on their own.

So Zuko had found his problem at telling one teacher the problem with the avatar, well now there wasn't a choice. "the Avatar's water bending teacher is from the southern water tribe."  
"Ridiculous," She responded sarcastically, "The Fire nation declared there were no more water benders from the southern water tribe. None at the south pole."

It had been through superior technology and training the Fire Nation waged war against the Earth Kingdom, and Water Tribes. Some cities and realms declared neutrality, like Kyoshi, and others had outright surrendered. The Northern Water Tribe had fought for more than twenty years ranging the northern sea and harassing Fire Nation shipping, and coastal holdings. Sozin had finally retaliated with an assault against the largest city of the Northern Water Tribe, that had been eighty five years ago. It had failed, but it had stopped the raiders. It'd forced them back, at a bloody cost though, no further attacks were mounted until very recently.

With no further threats to their shipping focus turned to subjugating the Earth Kingdom, and the resulting colonization of conquered territories. The Fire Nation had isolated their enemy and carved out swathes of territory, and now the Avatar had returned.

The claim that there were no more water benders in the southern water tribe had been made, and it had been wrong, "The Fire Nation had made a mistake." He admitted, and six months ago that would have been the hardest thing to say.

The old woman snorted, "I suppose its good you've grown up a bit," She remarked testily before looking around. "So then I'm here, in the heart of the Earth Kingdom,"

"My uncle has expressed his intention to stay in Ba Sing Se," He stated, "after the audience with the Fire Lord," The Fire Lord, not his father, and that hurt to say too, "I need to prepare for the inevitable next conflict with the Avatar. Whether it is Aang or a water bender."

The old witch smiled, "I see, that would explain your letter." She left without further comment, and without agreement to continue his training, but Zuko was hopeful. He'd sent the letter because he was concerned, and he needed to know who all was loyal to him.  
"What the hell was that about?" Zhong grumbled loudly after she'd left, he looked at the old crone, gnarled and withered with age. "Freaking crazy old bat."  
He spared the mask case a look, there was a good lock on the case. "She's the reason the Blue Spirit can slip through any fortification's defense," well it was partially true, in any case, "My uncle encouraged me to learn from every nation, and learning some of it was easier than others. Certainly infiltrating the North Pole had been made easier by certain lessons, "we have other matters to deal with," They had to be earth like. Uncle had been careful to admonish him about the Avatar's mistake in fighting underground. Air doesn't do well underground, certainly not against Earth. Earth was the direct opposite of Air in the cycle. Autumn to Spring, and no matter how the wind howls the mountain will not bow. Earth abided. It abided all hardships, and returned them when it stuited them. Earth was patient.

"eh," Xiahou Zhong made a kind of half way shrug, "The guard is doing okay, we've got regular patrols, but there is a lot of fear in the lower ring." He remarked.

Zuko regretted not being able to freely travel as much any more. He tried to be as active in civil politics and interaction as possible. It was also a nice excuse to avoid other problems, "I know, and a lot of it is reasonable," The fear at least, these people had run from the war." People had been running to Ba Sing Se since nearly the war had begun, and obviously they had had children who had settled into the city, and some had had grand children and great grand children. It was a testament to just how large Ba Sing Se was that the lower rings weren't even more crowded than they were, "I was kind of considering establishing plans for industry, and well moving some people outwards." Zuko reached for another grid covered scroll, "This area here is largely mountain, and I'm thinking of taking some volunteer the earth benders in the next week, and cutting terraces into the mountains here. The Fire Nation has been attempting to create a steam powered engine for a rail system,"  
"Lake Lagoi is right by there," Zhong mentioned, "your talking about a Dai Li retreat, somewhere were you can set up a community outside the city proper." The look he was getting was one of disbelief, "You know the nobles are going to crawl your ass for this right?" Using earth benders for the rail was one thing, but if the Fire Nation actually got the rail system up and running, well it'd involved building one across Ba Sing Se eventually and the nobles wouldn't like that at all.

-scene break-

The last week had been a special kind of miserable to Suki. Captivity under Azula had been one thing, and horrible, but this was far stranger. While officially she now resided within Zuko's apparentments the Fire Prince, as it turned out, didn't. Well officially he did, but Zuko didn't sleep in the appartments the majority of the time. He also rose at dawn when he did. Not that Suki was complaining about the amount of time she didn't have to deal with him, rather it was the fact Zuko had fosted her off into the care of a collection of older Earth Kingdom noblewomen.

Obstensibly for her own, as the noblewomen claimed, to prepare her for courtly life. The attempts a 'civilizing' her, and getting rid of silly 'backwards Kyoshi notions' was down right infuriating. There was also the repeated comments about her and Zuko being married... and the accompanying gifts ranging from silk to pinneapple peaches.

Right at the moment they were attempting to hold some kind of meal slash political game of verbal warfare. There was also the fact Zuko had just cleared his throat after there had been an utterly casual, and more to the point readily clear and out in the open death threat at the table.

It had positively scandalized Madame Jian who had been busy fussing over Zuko for the better part of the morning, which had as a byproduct kept her from prodding over Suki's own lack of more refined, particularly by Ba Sing Se standards, social graces. She didn't say anything as a result, and let the middle age women go on about ettiquete.

Zhong loosened his grip on the heavy dao, and gripped his drinking cup downing the contents, before turning angrily back to his food. He speared at the rare delicacy before shoving it into mouth irritably and biting down.

Suki had noticed the Fire Prince always had plenty of backup. What made it odd was that usually it was Earth Kingdom nationals especially these days. It was honestly more discomforting than any number of Fire Nation troops. When Zuko called the luncheon to a close he quickly dismissed everyone but a mere shadow of usual Dai Li prescence, two as opposed the usual eight. This, she thought with a swallow, didn't happen often. That Zuko lacked his swords on his person just added to the disconcerting feeling in her stomach.

Zuko took a moment to look over the immaculately maintained Earth King's gardens, he'd wanted to deal with this issue for a while, but at the same time he'd been putting it off, and putting it off in hopes that she'd get more used to him, "We'll be leaving for the Fire Nation soon," He began, "but that wasn't the only thing I wanted to talk about." the slight tension in his own voice was nothing to the feeling of stomach dropping into a pit of despair. Gingerly though she followed. As he gestured for her to join him.

For the most part the palace servants treaded lightly, even more so than when the Earth King had ruled, around them. Whether that was because of the prescence of the Fire Nation, or just Azula was debatable. In any event the servants maintained a wide berth unless they were summoned, which hypothetically allowed them to have a mostly private conversation.

He stopped walking once he was sure they wouldnt' be interupted, "I want... I wanted to ask you if Kyoshi is getting involved in the war?" Zuko had kept putting it off, hoping maybe he wouldn't have to ask.  
It washed out of her like a wave. All the pent up aggression, and fear, and every other emotion that had been building up. "You're the one who involved us, if you remember it at all." She snapped back her voice getting loud. Not that anyone, save maybe the Dai Li noticed, and if they did they didn't pay any mind.  
"You were harboring an obvious, and open, enemy of the Fire Nation." He snapped back, "That kind of thing paints a target on your back, neutrality doesn't work like that. You're either out of the war or you pick a side." Zuko shot back, of course he certainly wasn't going to admit he'd pointedly ignored the neutrality because of his own ambition as opposed to any other reason. Of course he'd justified to himself because Sozin had done the same thing to the Air Nomads. "Is that a yes, then? Is Kyoshi my enemy, is the Island the enemy of the Fire Nation?" For whatever reason he didn't feel that was right, and that maybe he could convince her that it a was stupid position to take. "Are you really going to throw away a century of neutrality to throw your lot in with a twelve year old avatar, and his friends?"  
It wasn't like her to stammer, but then it wasn't intentional in this case, but Zuko's diatribe focused on a single point, "No," She exclaimed, "That isn't it, it was just a small group of us who were traveling to Ba Sing Se to help the refugees." Not that they'd actually known that was how they were going to help. Aang had inspired them to join the war effort, but now all the inspiration to go join the fight against the Fire Nation, and help their fellow members of the Earth Kingdom... all that was suddenly recognizable in the harsh light of reality.

"Uncle's report mentions a platoon, a platoon is not a small group." Zuko objected, of course no real numbers had been clear, but the phrasing certainly hadn't implied a small group.

She grit her teeth, "Your Uncle's report is exaggerated," his sister was Azula, so it kind of made since that... "probably just to make your sister look better."  
… well that was certainly possible. Zuko softened, "Alright then, we'll leave it at that. IF Kyoshi's still neutral its not an issue." How long the fire nation would recognize that neutrality if Azula was bolstering her reputation remained to be seen though. He let her breathe a sigh of relief. "It doesn't change the fact that we will be going to the Fire Nation..." He left the issue hang, and looked at the well maintained flowering trees, "I shouldn't have raised my voice," He added, "I wasn't attempting to provoke you, its a serious issue. The Avatar I mean."

-scene break-

Iroh was a curious mixture of emotions. On the one hand he'd been happy with the opportunity to run his tea shop, and he'd have been happy with that. Zuko had been happy. Iroh had been pleased with that, even if he hadn't completely approved of some of his nephew's activities, but boys would be boys, and there really hadn't been anyway to help that.

So in that he'd let Zuko run his own life, watching his nephew mature bit by bit... and then Azula had come and brought everything into a troublesome spot. Zuko's ambition had always been less politically driven than his sister... that being said it wasn't that Zuko lacked ambition, but that Azula just happened to have more. That ambition which had drastically changed things.

His nephew even now was trying to cling to the little bit of normalcy he had had before Azula had enacted her ill advised coup against the Earth King. Iroh feared that there was something grievously wrong with his niece, but knew that focusing on her to the exclusion of Long Feng invited a peril all its own. Both of them needed to be watched carefully. It would have been nice to have been able to not have to leave Ba Sing Se so soon, but it couldn't be helped. There was a very real chance that Long Feng would try something as soon as they were out of the city and on their way back to the Fire Nation.

There were only so many options, and in truth Iroh disliked admitting it but an assassination was one of the more likely to suceed options that could be employed. Strengthening the power of the local nobility was unlikely to succeed by itself, and opened them to further problems down the road, including in the event the Fire Nation lost control of the city in the near future as a result of some uprising. Iroh knew though that his nephew had other problems, and some of them he knew that Zuko was just going to have to work them out on his own... amongst those Azula's deviancy, but for all the others Iroh could help if Zuko would but let him.

Iroh looked out from the third story window over the bits of Ba Sing Se he could observe from it, and contemplated how very problematic this was. If Azula had suceeded well then the whole world was in a great trouble. The next avatar would likely be born in the Northern Water tribe, which risked many problems. If born a woman... well the Northern Water tribe was already isolated from the war, insulated behind its glacial defenses.

Aang was already cutting things dangerously close to to the limit of what could be repaired. It was true that the Fire Nation was stretched thin, but another twenty years, and that wouldn't matter any more. There were members of the White Lotus who advised the extreme course to buy time when word had come that the Avatar had returned, and it had become clear he had only mastered air. Now though there was the question of if Aang had survived, and if not the last master of airbending was dead. Certainly the next Avatar could learn airbending from his previous incarnations... one would hope that to be the case, but what if they couldn't...

It was not good for the balance of the world to be lacking one element for so long... and the world had been missing Air for a century. The southern water tribe might have always been smaller and less prosperous than its northern cousins, but the south was still nearly gone. The truth was the war had more or less devolved into the Fire Nation fighting the Earth Kingdom. If Aang was dead, the world having... waiting twenty more years for the next avatar to do something...

It would be to late, now that Ba Sing Se had fallen. Iroh wasn't sure what to do if that eventuality did play out. When he had been young, he had been the soldier's prince, but Zuko couldn't make that claim. Zuko's ties were solely to scattered colonial garrisons from when he'd been hunting looking for the avatar.

The dragon of the west stared down at the cup of tea in his hands. There so few options now, what could Ozai hope to understand about his only son, but mishapen opinions made with only limitted facts. What Iroh was truly concerned about was Ozai drawing the wrong conclusions from those limitted facts available to him. Zuko had been gone a long time.

When had been the age Zuko had been at his exile he had already been a Soldier's prince, of course his father, Azulon, had still been only the Crown Prince then. Those years had been long ago of course, Sozin still breathed, and was leading the nation to their destined victory with news of triumph after triumph coming to every town. Ozai though, he had never served the army. Ozai had been born at the very end of Sozin's reign, and for that Azulon payed little interest in. Iroh served in the army, and his younger brother stayed home. Of course Ozai had been far younger than Iroh, and when he'd taken the throne his children had not even been teenagers.

Neither of them had been entrusted with the kind of responsibilities that Iroh had been as part of his grooming to suceed his father, but then Iroh had not been Azulon's successor, Ozai had. It was that which he contemplated. If Ozai died the line of succession might have been legally clear, but in truth there would be no agreement on who sat the throne next, thus the worst, and best depending on who looked at it outcome was clear.

The Fire Nation divided into Civil War.

Iroh sighed and reheated his tea, if Azula had killed the last airbender then Ozai needed to die soon the White Lotus was rapidly approaching that concensus, which meant that he needed to make sure his nephew's training increased, Zuko's survival in what would come after depended on it.

-scene break-


	5. Chapter 4 Alive, and awake

Chapter 4

-scene break-

He was still planning to head out to Lake Lagoi with the survey teamIit was true that the nobles were going to raise a fuss, but then that was probably true of a lot of things he did. Keui after all hadn't been the most active of monarchs, and Long Feng had been all about maintaining the status quo. Still he knew that he had responsibilities here.

Hama had scoffed at the request, but had agreed with some prodding, which would eliminate some of the problems he had in his present situation. Zuko sighed, as the water bender walked up to up Suki, "Relax girl," She grunted gruffly, "I've patched up plenty of people who were most certainly worse off than you are now," the old water bender turned to the scarred prince, "of that the my erstwhile student here can tell you that given the number of times I've patched him up after some bout of foolishness."

Zuko looked somewhat torn between annoyance and embarrassment. It was true, his training to find the avatar had been even by the most insane of standards hard. Hama's waterbending forms served a key basis in his fighting skills when he dawned the masque of the blue spirit. His uncle had approved at the choice to incorporate water bending forms into his arsenal. Zuko had done it with good reason. No one had seen the Avatar for a century, so the chance of fighting an airbender while obviously possible, also had to give way the chance of fighting a water bender. Water was also of course Fire's elemental opposite, winter to Fire's summer. It was training that complimented his at the time book learned knowlege of airbender forms, and Uncle's teaching on earth bender forms.

"I don't," She didn't understand what was going on  
"Of course you don't," Hamma remarked tersely, with a waterskin in one hand, "Thats the crux of it I suppose," and then the water moved covering her hands, and Suki recoiled, earth benders were one thing she supposed with the Dai Li and all but... "Relax, waterbenders have the ability to heal, I tend to make a tidy profit off this talent." She admitted, and Zuko snorted Hama was a miser, more so than he was, but then his habits had been forged out of necessity. "Ussually patching up idiots, or helping women through labor," Suki noticed that Hamma was certainly a lot more talkative than Zuko, or his friends. The old crone turned her head craning to glance at the Fire Prince, "She'll be fine, she was well on the way to recovery anyway under your tender care." She gave a loud barking laugh at the statement and turned back to her bending of the water in the bowl. "In any event nothing to work out I'll finish here, and I suppose I'll go try your uncle's tea shop since its supposed to be such an impressive establishment."

Suki rubbed her ankles after the old water bender left, as Zuko glanced at the door, he snorted turning back. Hamma would probably go badger uncle now, well not his problem. Zuko's shoulders loosened, and he relaxed, and then he smiled, a genuine smile. "She scares me more than the Avatar, the only one who scares me more is Azula." It was the honest truth of course, The avatar had unleashed the ocean spirit, his sister was insane, and of course Hama though, Hama was just someone he didn't quite understand. "still she's good at what she does, both as a healer and a teacher." At the same time Zuko was clearly happy with both these facts, "the truth is that we'll won't be coming back to Ba Sing Se for a while at the very least." In truth that disappointed him, because he had gotten used to the city.  
Uncle in a sense had far more leeway in that regard than he did. Ozai had two choices really, attempt to force Iroh's compliance, or accept. The prior of course ran the risk of sparking the undercurrent of dissent into full blown civil war. Zuko really hoped it didn't come to that, because a year ago there wouldn't have been much doubt, but now it had switched sides. Iroh over Ozai, quite a reversal this was.

"What do you mean by that?"

He took a seat on one of the fancy palace chairs, "Choson is a relatively prosperous Fire Nation colony in the west. After we're done in the Home Islands, I'm considering moving there," Uncle was still adamant that Zuko should not join the army, and wasn't keen on the Navy. So civil administration was the only real 'working' option he had. Of course he could always teach the way of the sword... which Uncle had actually suggested. "As far as places to live though it'd be away from the battle lines of the war, but at the same time it won't be within the boundaries of the Home Islands," Which is what he considered was probably for the best. It would get him away from Azula, a definitely welcome change, away from the court, and by most outside appearances politically isolated from the day to day affairs of the nation's power structure. The old colonies were peaceful, and far away from the fighting. "It will certainly be far and away from Azula, which I think would be for the best for both of us." Slowly Zuko unfolded a map, and traced a finger, "Some time next week, maybe as early as a few days we'll leave on a steamer to head to rendezvous with a Fire Nation warship, upon which we will actually begin to sail towards the Fire Nation." That was the general outline of their travel plans, Azula was rather insistent they procure a far grander ship than the Eastern Fleet could spare at the moment, and as a result Azula was both quite indignant, and petulant at the present. It had made palace life most unpleasant for all in residence, particularly the palace staff. Zuko traced with his the rail line from Ba Sing Se's Upper Ring down to the Ferry Port, "I'm telling you this because its important," He commented, "Azula 1will be on the same ship, and more than likely its going to be crowded. In any case everything will packed to leave tomorrow,"

Suki stared at him, being stuck in confined spaces in close proximity to Azula, well that certainly sounded wonderful. "What does that mean?"

Zuko didn't like it either, especially given they'd probably be stuck on a cruiser. He kind of missed his old little frigate and its tiny crew. "We'll be on the same ship as my sister, it means what it sounds like."

Getting stuck on a cruiser with Azula, geez that was going to be one long series of paranoid moments, and headaches. Or it would be if his experience with Azula in Ba Sing Se was anything to vouch for. Still he had plenty of things he needed to do.

It was one of the few good things that Uncle would be joining them on the boat ride. Truthfully though he wasn't quite sure how to feel about leaving Ba Sing Se behind, especially when there remained a real possibility of him dieing in the near future.

"What about the Avatar?" She asked, she had wondered about Aang and his friends, but other than the exagerations of the battle, they had to be exagerations, but...

He blinked at the change of subject... well at least she was opening up... that was a good sign, or so he was told, "If Azula is to be believed, he's dead," which meant at least twelve years," that was the new conservative estimate, "to prepare for the next one, and if experience with Aang was any indication of a twelve year old avatar's mastery of his native element... the next water bender avatar would be a terrible enemy. "and if Aang's not well thats another thing."

He sat back, Azula wasn't worried. Then again she'd been celebrating last night again, lucky it had just been dinner, not some idiotic festitivity or some old tradition that hadd somehow been overlooked. It hadn't stopped Azula's barbed tongue to be sure, but at least he'd been free to leave whenever it pleased him. He couldn't blame her, Suki, from being scared of Azula.

"What's in Choson?" Suki looked at him, what was all this to Zuko anyway, she'd seen more of him this week than in the past month.

Zuko glanced at her, "What all has Lady Jian told you, I mean its not exactly normal this kind of situation," He shrugged, Uncle had told him in his own way to make the best of it. It was funny just how many different connotations that expression 'make the best of it' could have coming from so many different people. "Choson is probably the place where we can make the best of this,"  
"of this?" There was a tone of disbelief in her voice, and the words just hung there in the air, waiting for Zuko's reply. Trying to explain this wasn't easy to begin with, but then Suki didn't want to hear it either.

-scene break-

Sokka groaned from the exertion, it kind of pissed him off that they had ended up missing dad, and Aang was still knocked out, which meant Katara was still occupied all day all night. Meaning in turn Toph, and him were the only ones training.

"So what is this supposed to do exactly?"

He was hoping it'd sink Fire Nation ships if they hit it, but if they couldn't test it that was all moot to begin with, "Well its basically a casing for blasting jelly, the metal is supposed to be buyounant so it'll float in water,"  
"I know what buyounant means snoozles," Toph responded testilly. She couldn't see obviously so she had no idea what Sokka was intending to do, "so its supposed to blow up things in the water. I can see," That pun was likely intended, "how that could help us, but how is it going to work, and how many more of these cases should I make?"

"Woh woh I need to make sure it works first!" Sokka protested, which was where he was starting to hit a roadblock, he needed a way to make sure an impact would trigger the jelly, "kI've got to figure out how to make it detonate right fire." An idea struck him, "Hey Toph I'll be right," and with that he ran off causing Toph to scoff, and snort as Sokka started picking through the blasting caps they'd gotten second hand from the Earth Kingdom troops who were with Kuei recently, and then picking around in the shruberry breaking off shoots of plant life muttering to himself all the while.

Sokka spent the next couple hours hollowing out tubes and putting blasting caps in them... and then throwing them at walls. Okay sure it wasn't the best idea but he didn't really have time or the patience to be subtle right now. "Damn it I need to send Keui a letter, I hope he can get some more explosives before we meet at Nanman," He grunted looking down at the handfull of remaining blasting caps, on the plus side he'd been working for most the day and had a semi workable detonator. "Hey, hey Toph let me fix this detonator on here, and we'll test it out in the water."

All things considered the mine kinda worked. It certainly blew up rather spectacularly, and the detonator worked, and the beach was on fire... "What was all that!?" Katara demanded finally showing up. "Could you try to make any more racket?"

"Look sis chill out, I may have figured out a way to even up the odds against the Fire Nation Navy, I mean sure its loud, and I don't know how much blasting jelly I need to sink a ship, but this could really help us out during the invasion." Katara wasn't really that impressed with a burning beach, and a bunch of strewn about parts, and the remaining several barrells full of blasting jelly, along with the empty ones. She raised an eyebrow. "I really need to send a letter to Kuei this could really help us slow the Fire Nation down, I mean if we could just drop a few of these things we could really slow attempts to pursue us, or Earth Kingdom ships, and if we could get them to dad, and the other warriors."

Toph wiped her sweat covered brow, "Uh guys, yeah hey only metal bender in the world here speaking, this stuff isn't easy." The aforementioned metal bender announced waving her hand over head.

Toph actually had a point considering it'd taken them a while to get the shape right so that not only would it float, and making sure it didn't leak. She also was right, hmm, "Yeah I should probably work on that now that you mention it, maybe we can use something other than metal. The Fire Nation's industry had proven the key defining trait between them and the other three nations, metal for everyone else was a rare commodity, while the Fire Nation's foundries turned out hundreds of ships, and soon thousands of tanks.

-scene break-

Aang's first sign he was awake was the pain of healing second degree contact burns across his lower back, which overwhelmed his feeling of general soreness from being immobile for so long. So naturally on instinct he rolled out of bed and fell face first on to the stone of the Eastern Air Temple's very hard, and cold, floor. "Oomph."

"AANG! You're awake, you shouldn't be moving." Katara fussed dropping the water bucket, which only partly spilled."  
"Ugh Katara I don't feel so-" and with that Aang proceeded to vomitt all over the old stones of the temple, before groaning again. "What hit me? I remember Ba Sing Se, and all those earth benders, and then heat, and I don't remember anything after that." He moved a little bit side to side in an unsteady motion, "I can't-"

She helped back onto the bed, "Azula hit you with lightning after Zuko showed up."  
The airbender paused, whatever he was going to say forgotten or left behind. He was still looking pale, though the vomitting seemed to have helped "I don't remember Zuko being there when did he get there?" He struggled to remember, he just remembered the cave and...

"He came in with the earthbenders, but we managed to escape on Appa, so here we are." She announced, "Anyway you should drink some water, and soup to make sure you get your strength back."

"Oh good your up." Sokka called from the doorway. "We need to-"

Katara put her hands on her hips, "Sokka Aang just woke up."  
"And thats all the more reason why we need to have this talk now." He responded, "Look sis no offense but we don't know whats going on, and we've got a small window of time to beat the fire lord. That means the sooner Aang gets up, and starts training the better off we'll all be, and for that matter Katara you need to start training too. We're going to have less than an hour to beat the Fire Lord"

Aang stared at them, "Yeah I've got to do that, but I don't know if I can," Before anyone could interject, he gave them a look, "I mean I can't feel my past lives, the avatar state seems to be gone, I just can't feel it anymore" He was rubbing at the mark, that hideous burn on his back where Azula had struck him.

-scene break-

Iroh was a very tired old man. With the benefit of hindsight he knew he should have acted years ago, and never allowed his brother the chance to consolidate a hold on the throne. Azulon's death, and last wishes, had always been suspicious, that Ursa had vanished at the same time merely had increased that, but now things were at a head. His nephew was now of course caught in the web as well, despite all his hopes that by some miracle they would be able to live out their lives in peace..

Of course they would go home now.

He'd misjudged just how much of the legacy of his father and grandfather his son had shared with Zuko, and he should have asked before then, but now it was moot. Keng and he had fufilled the old promise, toasted the dead who could not fufill the promise and reminisced of simpler days, while looking towards the future.

He had never shared that legacy in hope that one day balance might be restored. That the colonies might be the key to harmony between all the nations. He had hoped that the Avatar could return and bring peace to the world, instead his, insane, brother was sitting on his father's throne. Iroh remembered the advice to kill Ozai on his return to the capital, he'd ignored it. To kill his own brother Ozai couldn't be so bad he had told himself, and it had been so soon after loosing Lu Ten.

All hope for the future now depended on making a new path. Ba Sing Se's fall had saved millions, with it in Fire Nation hands the comet's importantance was now dramatically reduced. "Do you think that the Fire Lord will invade the Southern Earth Kingdom?"

"It has been said that King Hou's city is the linchpin of the continent, surely the Fire Lord must have considered its use." Nanman in the southern Earth Kingdom lacked Ba Sing Se's great artificial walls, but was protected by great natural barriers. Amongst these was the great Si Wong desert to the north and west. Then there was also the disease ridden marshes to the south which had stymied many invasions in the past. This treacherous terrain was true for the entire region of the South eastern Earth kingdom. Once one passed beyond the Si Wong desert one faced a stark contrast of civilization, and dangerous nature.

"More than a hundred years we have waged war in some form or another with the Earth Kingdom, since Sozin before brought the comet against the air nomads." A hundred years ago this terrible war had begun in earnest but really it could be said to have begun when Avatar Roku had still lived. Of course Roku had allowed the first colonies to remain, on the condition that no more be built, but then Roku had died, and Sozin had, "And Sozin built new colonies after Roku's death, and when finally the Comet came he destroyed the air nomads." Iroh stated, "We invaded the Earth Kingdom in force,"

"And in the years that followed you eventually left home, as sons must," That was a barb against Ozai Iroh knew, "and became the dragon of the west." Keng remarked, the admiral wanted him to take the throne.

He sipped his tea. "Those were days long ago," and that was true in Iroh's youth he had conquered large swathes of land in the western Earth kingdom... and for that Ozai would likely never permit Iroh to retire to those colonies, but that was not to say that was for certain. With the fall of Omashu the last of the Western Earth Kingdom would soon fall to the Fire Nation, for in truth Omashu had been the linch pin which held up the strongholds that remained in the west. Taking the east though would require more than just taking Nanman, but Nanman falling would open up the way for the army to move against other cities in the south east."

"Do you think its wise letting Zuko's teacher leave," Keng asked, it wouldn't have bothered him as much except for... "she's a water bender isn't she? I can understand the Dai Li, of course" The earth benders had proven invaluable, especially since he had had to leave his heavy support units behind in pressing on quickly to the city.  
Iroh responded with a question of his own. The situation with Hama was beyond his control, if the old woman left, she did, and yes it would weaken Zuko's position but at the same time he didn't think she'd do it without good reason... "Do you believe that the Avatar is alive?"

"I do not know Iroh, I was not here when he was struck," Keng drank some of his own tea, "since such is the truth how can I know for sure. Even if the Avatar is dead then the next one will be a water bender, and we will face a hundred more years of war," That was the unfortunate truth even their own people were beginning to think of the war as normal... that it would never stop, "just as we would if the avatar lives." This war had been won in many respects, but at the same time it would continue, "Because even though no army can stand against the Fire Nation, our army cannot occupy the whole of the enemy. This fact exists together with that our enemies will not surrender, and will continue to fight, thus we will fight until all the Earth Kingdom cities fall." Once the Fire Nation had launched an assault on the North, it had been repulsed, and then more recently another had been mounted. It too had failed.

"The northern water tribe will bear the avatar, if he is dead, and even if we invade we will bleed trying to take it." Men lost for a territory that could be much more easily contained, and those men sent to hold down swathes of territory in the earth kingdom, but it seemed Ozai hardly cared so long as more land was added to the Fire Nation. There was also the fear of the Ocean spirit, if the avatar was there, even with all its industry such fleet losses while endurable could only be sustained so many times before they took their toll. "I would like to come back to Ba Sing Se with you one day."

"I would like that too old friend. I would like it most of all if the war was over by then,"  
Keng face set into a sad frown, "I think," The old man from the sea remarked, "that while such would be wonderful, it might be too much to hope for. Perhaps just a peaceful city to visit though, even like it is now would be nice." He commented, "This war has seen three fire lords so far, who can say how it will when,"

For now, and while there were problems, the occupation was for the most part a quiet affair. This peace existed because even if colors had changed the truth was not much else had. Of course it was possible, probable even that this would change in the near future as new changes touched the city.

-scene break-

The surveying had gone well in Zuko's opinion. They were finally though going to leave Ba Sing Se. Zuko tossed the leather bag into the room. Hama had left, obstensibly to go find the last southern water bender, and to be completely honest he wasn't sure how well that would turn out. If anything the waterbender could be the most dangerous of enemies... she knew too much, about the colonies and just of other benders, but at the same time...

"Whats up Zuko you look tense?"

Ty Lee's energy hadn't abated for long after the dinner nearly two months ago, quickly rebounding. "I simply have a lot on my mind," and that was the truth, along with want to avoid the hell out of Azula for that matter. As it was they were finally on a schedule to leave, and Azula had finally settled into accept the cruiser they were going to take on the journey back to the home islands. They were finally going home, which raised a whole host of issues.

"Are you going back to the palace now?"  
"Yes,"

Ty Lee took a step back, "You know you should probably go see Mai. I really think the two of you should talk," The girl in pink paused, "I think you should talk with Azula as well..." Ty Lee meant well, and honestly she thought that talking would probably clear the air. Mai had her own issues, and Azula just kept picking at them.

That was a notion there Zuko wanted to laug... talking with Azula. Azula was adamant that the Avatar was dead, which wasn't terribly outrageous all things considered it was merely that she refused to even consider the possibility that her lightning bolt hadn't killed the avatar, but then that would imply she failed, and Azula didn't fail. He gave a shrug, and a grunt and headed up towards the deck. He twisted the hatch to open the door.

Ba Sing Se's harbor was different now... not nearly as busy with refugees though was still a slow trickle in. The largest vessel in the harbor was a Fire Nation barge, wide and shallow hulled with a pair of large cranes on the front end. It was larger than his old ship, way larger than his little ship, though not quite the size of the ship Azula had been used to travelling on. Not that she'd ever accept travelling on a barge. That and it would take far too long to sail to the capital. On such a slow ship it would take months.

Burly men, from both nations, were busy overseeing the unloading of cargo. It was very fortunate that Ba Sing Se was for the most part self sufficent. That was the secret to its staying power. Thus most of what was brought in on the barge was actually construction material for the docks themselves, it would still take a great deal of effort to deepen the port. It would probably be done by the time uncle hoped to return to the city after the day of black sun; the eclipse.

Ty Lee followed after him, "Its really pretty," She commented, "I mean everyone working together and for the same thing, you know. I mean it could all be brighter colors, and their auras are kind of dim, but if they cheered up, and we gave everything a fresh coat of paint it really would be wonderful,"

"What do you want Ty Lee?" Zuko asked, "I mean we'll be on the ship for no small amount of time what is it Azula wants,"  
Ty Lee stepped, "Azula wants you to be happy, I mean thats what she says, and she gave you, I mean..."

"Is that what Mai thinks," Ty Lee had no sense in her head for propriety, "Because I don't think that was Azula's intention either," Because Azula always lies, a voice whispered in the back of his mind again, and again, "I'm going back to the palace."... and my wife he supposed, he'd done his best to ignore the implications of his sister giving him his first consort, it was more an Earth Kingdom thing these days, as his friends had reminded him but that didn't help.

-scene break-

In truth it hadn't been all that difficult to find the air bender, at least in her opinion. The water bender crossed her arms, "You should understand something." She remarked tersely. "Its absolutely necessary for you Avatar to kill the Fire Lord. It doesn't matter if your a monk, or an air nomad,"

"Killing someone is wrong!" Aang protested,

Hama snorted dissmissively, "and how many countless people have you killed then? By inaction, and action." The old woman responded irritably, "If you don't kill Ozai then the Fire Nation's victory will be complete. There is no other way to turn aside the advance other than to kill the Fire Lord, and plunge the Fire Nation into civil war." Hama stated. "His daughter is a monster, but if he dies then the Fire Nation will descend into internal fighting, and give the other two nations a chance to recover."

"But,"  
She grabbed at the map, "You should understand the invasion is your only chance to do this. You must strike during the eclipse when fire benders are without power."

Sokka looked up, he still had no idea how the crazy old witch had found them, but she did bring up a good point. I mean it was the plan, and all but Sokka well... "We knew that, but to put it so bluntly-"  
"then you should also know that in invading the Fire Nation you will have one chance if you fail, the Fire Nation will pay the invasion back many times over."

Katara looked up, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying don't fail." Hama responded, "If you fail then the Fire Nation will press forward as quickly as they can to overwhelm the last of the Earth Kingdom so that there will never again be a threat to their home islands, thus you must succeed in killing the Fire Lord."

"Then can you help us?" Sokka asked, "If you're a water bender, you want to see the Fire Nation lose,"

"I want the Fire Lord dead," Hama corrected, "I want Fire Lord Ozai to die."

Sokka nodded, "Right," To him it was the same thing, which didn't cause him to question the wording of the statement. "Then can't you teach Katara and Aang?"

"I don't want to learn from this person!" Aang protested, "Killing people is wrong."

Katara shifted, "I want to learn more about water bending, and we really need to, but..."

"What is it?" She responed, "Ba Sing Se has fallen to the Fire Nation, the Avatar has been gone for a hundred years, all that matters is making sure that the Fire Nation doesn't take the remaining cities of the Earth Kingdom."

"You're a water bender though."  
"And all the North has been able to do is hold out." Hama added snipily.

Sokka nodded his head thinking about it, "You remember when we we're in the North all the focused on was defense, never taking the fight to the Fire Nation. Then shouldn't we be focusing on bringing the Northern Water tribe to help us out. If they could contribute water benders to the invasion it could certainly help us pull off attacking during the eclipse. If we could get dad and the earth king to gather up allies while we go north then we could all meet back in time to invade together."

Regardless of Aang's opinions on Hama, Katara was hardly going to pass up being able to talk from someone from the Water Tribes. Much less if not only was that person a water bending master, but also a woman. So for the most part the next few days were practicing water bending, there were still things she could learn, but a lot of being a master bender involved finding your own course. On that note Katara was well on her way already.

Sokka was more concerned about trying to get Aang to practice with Toph, and the invasion. It was during one of those sessions that the idea struck him. Well they couldn't rely on a brute force attack not with Ba Sing Se down, "Guys, since Zuko took Ba Sing Se we need another way into the Fire Nation, and I've been thinking." The map was a good start, but something a bit more up to date might be better, "What if we go and find Jeong Jeong, he can't help us during the eclipse," since he was a fire bender, "but he might know how we could get in, and if we can find him Aang can start learning Fire Bending," Sokka honestly hoped Aang could master it, but if he didn't, and there plan went off without a hitch it wouldn't hurt them. There was also the fact Aang needed to practice fighting. "He's got the other elements down, so he needs to learn."

"I think twinkletoes needs to practice his earth bending more," Toph grunted, taking a meant to hawk and spit, "he's too flighty. Needs to stand and fight when he uses Earth. Earth is solid, if he's going to use it right he's got to learn to use that."

Sokka groaned a bit, maybe it was an air bender thing. Earth being Earth, and naturally the opposite of Aang's native air. It was on that note Sokka didn't know what he should be taking the time to urge Aang to study. Aang had air down, like really good, probably the only element that the young avatar could really say he had truly mastered. Of course Aang had water pretty much down as well, so really if they didn't find Jeong Jeong then... it was down to between Earth and Water. Of those two Aang probably did need to study Earth more than water. Besides currently Katara was down by the seashore practicing waterbending with Hama, so maybe it was for the best if Aang stayed up here with Toph.

So if they were going to be doing that, he guessed it fell to him to talk with Kuei, and get in contact with dad. It'd be also be up to him, to see if anyone knew where Jeong Jeong was. He didn't think it would be that easy, but Hama thought if they killed the Fire Lord then the Fire Nation would break up into civil war. She didn't have a whole lot of faith that Aang would be able to fix things quickly, and maybe she was right, but they had to try.

-scene break-

The Earth Kingdom examinations had more or less confirmed what Zuko had already known, still he'd taken them because both Zuko and his retainers had urged him to. Obstensibly it was to show that he truly appreciated the position and weight of the Earth Kingdom. Zuko had considered taking the army version of the text, but Iroh had advised against it. Being too closely affiliated with the army he warned might not be well received. This was likely to be especially true of factions within the ranks of the metropolitan nobles.

Zuko checked over the last reports, and then resisted the urge to yawn. They'd been delayed a few times already, and the exams had been exhausting... and then Uncle had insisted he go through the graduation ceremony... Azula had thought that had been hilarious. "we'll leave tomorrow, maybe the day after if we need to delay because of weather." Which wasn't likely there weren't any storms spotted coming up, so they should be able to leave tomorrow. Certainly the ship was loaded, over loaded was more like it to be completely honest. That wasn't even something he could levy entirely on Azula either, or even Ty Lee. Both uncle and himself were bringing far more back than they'd left the Fire Nation with, and certainly more than they'd entered Ba Sing Se with.

Zhou looked over when Zuko went and tossed the reports he'd been checking over onto the dark mahogany colored wood, and the Fire bender moved to look through one of the windows. "You know I think the scribes can handle this," It was all just final reviews a handful of ministers could look through the last of the supply Zuko was wasting time double checking supply stocks as it was, but then Zuko hadn't ever bothered delegating supply, and that was a problem. "What are you looking for anyway?"  
"Guard reports from the break in," Zuko grunted, "It was too coordinated, it had to be an inside job, or someone with experience in subversion tactics... the Blue Spirit, he, Zuko, could have done it. In fact he would have done it in a manner very similiar to this, except this had been carried out with multiple people. "I wanted this done with, and the guards aren't having any luck."  
Tenmujin stepped forward grabbing the report. "I'll go then," he said green eyes sweeping through the lines, "Look into it I mean," which was most certainly not all Tenmujin was going to do, but not something the Dai Li needed to hear 'officially'.

"Take Xiahou with you," Zuko grunted, "but try an avoid large groups," He added, "I'll try and speak to the Colonel in charge of patrols soon," He glanced across the room, and that was his other problem. The nearest of the Avatar shrines... glowing light, and all that. Then again they'd said that the shrines had also glowed when Aang had returned as well. "as for you lets hear it," He growled at the heavily robed man.

The man babbled on for a bit, "Noble one, it is most clear. The signs speak of the Avatar being reborn, no doubt the people of the water tribe search for the infant, who is the new Avatar." The man continued on, before Zuko swept a hand, cutting him off. On the one hand he was glad Suki wasn't here to hear this, on the other hand Azula's gloating was going to be even more pronounced... or perhaps not. It was certainly true she'd felled the avatar, but now there was a new one to contend with, or there would be in a little more than a decade.

The news was going to get out, and there was the fact that a decade was the bare minimum they had to prepare. If they were lucky they'd have more, but what if the Avatar figured a way to prevent another lucky blow the next time he fought Azula then what...

-scene break-

Azula... Azula was happy. Ty Lee definitely thought that was good news, but Mai wasn't quite so sure about that as she eyed the wine bottle that Azula had apparently liberated, from Zuko's collection if Azula was to be believed. It certainly didn't seem the kind of thing Azula would lie about, stealing wine from her brother that as.

The news that the Avatar had likely been reborn, and thus that she had succeeded in killing the Avatar was something to be celebrated. An enemy who had been the fear of the nation for more than a century who had been just a boy was dead. That was what they were in here celebrating, but at the same time the avatar had been an enemy that had been roaming across the land causing trouble where ever he had gone.

Mai wondered where, and what Zuko was doing, while Azula let Ty Lee pour the wine. The princecess had been tempted to eschew ettiquette and do it herself, but Ty Lee was quick with her hands. She'd gotten the bottle away when Azula had first proclaimed its source after settting it on the decadent table for the two of them to see.

Ty Lee didn't mind. She liked festivities, and the happy streaks in Azula's aura were a good thing in her opinion. Azula needed to be happy more after all. That was all Ty Lee was concerned with, and the only thing on her mind.

Both Mai, and Azula had other things to think about. Ty Lee did have her own concerns but Ba Sing Se was for now far away from her family. That was true for Mai as well. It would be at least a month before she heard anything from her parents. The taking of Ba Sing Se had been a Class 1 military secret, simply because the Fire Nation could not risk losing the city.

That would have been a massive blow to the entire war, not enough to change it of course... not immediately. If both heirs died, even if Zuko was still in exile, it would place Ozai in a very problematic position.

None of that mattered now, they'd won, and were one step closer to home. Azula didn't even mind Zuko didn't even come home she'd killed the Avatar, him helping capture the city paled in comparison to that feat. Even if it had been anywhere near Zuko hadn't much in the way of ambition apparently. By all indications her brother hadn't been planing a coup against the Earth Kingdom, why he hadn't been well it didn't matter. It might end up coming out over conversation in the future or it might not. Azula wasn't really concerned. They were going home and that was the end of it, and Zuko would probably be happy just with that. He'd certainly been happy enough slumming it out amongst these Earth Kingdom pigs.

He and Uncle Fuddy Duddy had been hapily working out a living running some tea shop. At least that was the initial impression she'd gotten. So what if Zuko had infiltrated and turned a non unsubstantial part of the Dai Li, he hadn't done anything with them, and Zuko had never been patient. That told her he hadn't really had anything to do. Zuko's ambition had been the Dai Li themselves not to do anything with them.

That in itself was problematic she knew, especially with Long Feng still around. Still even with that concern Azula sipped at the wine, it burned. She'd tried working through some of the reports Zuko was writing up, but it was so boring. Not that it mattered they were going home. Father would be so proud she killed the Avatar.

Mai kind of half sipped at her saucer. She didn't like it. The wine was too strong, it was smooth yes, but it burned a lot more than she'd have liked. Azula had said she'd swiped it from Zuko's stocks, why Zuko would drink this she had no idea but the Red Hill vintage she certainly didn't care for, in the slightest. There was a clank that drew here attention to Ty Lee who had just downed her own drinking saucer, and brought it to the table.

Azula, naturally, took it as a challenge to do the same. This was how it always started. Hours later they were regretting it. Azula hated hang overs... and the fact that Ty Lee was seemingly immune to them. She was lucky in that respect. The acrobat got drunk fast, but never had a hangover.

Azula hated having a hang over, but she did wonder if Zuko would notice the missing wine. He might, or he might not. Of course Zuko was also already busy in the outer palace, apparently, that was the downside of course to being a fire bender. Rising with the sun while having a hangover was not fun. "So?" She demanded.

"What?" Zuko looked up from the array of scroll reports waving off one of the scholars who'd been bringing him what looked like some lengthy historical text.

Azula scowled, the chances were Zuko had probably been at this all morning. "What about the Avatar's companions, surely you've found something out."

"Either they'll proceed with that attack, or they might consider fleeing to the Northern Water tribe for safety." He responed looking back down at the gathered documents. He needed to write to the Fire Sages they had access to records regarding the Avatar succession that would be useful. The Fire Nation recorded the conflict between Sozin, and Roku distinctly differently than the Earth Kingdom. Sozin's official biography painted the picture as a dispute between brothers, taking careful steps to portray the Avatar's oppossition as a matter of dissent between them as close relatives... This was important, because the histories further held Roku had died protecting citizens of the Fire Nation alongside his adopted brother.

In short there would be no easy way to gain access to the history of the water avatar's training, and likewise journeying to Kyoshi would be pointless. It was true that there were historical documents about her in Ba Sing Se but they were from much later in life. That left Roku as the only real source of information on the early training of an Avatar. It wasn't going to be the best example, but it would have to do until they could track down another Avatar's shrine and see if they had records. Of course that meant either Fire or Earth. Still it was better than nothing.

Azula didn't particularly like dealing with the flipant responses, but this kind of thing was precisely what Zuko was good at. He should have been he'd been doing it for years now. He'd certainly managed to find the avatar after a hundred years.

-scene break-


End file.
